Wereworld: The Merry Band
by WhiteBear27
Summary: Thor is the son of Duke Henrik. The young Werelord finds himself at the center of yet another war. Can Thor and Drew band together to save Lyssia, and maybe even the world?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 - The Merry Band**

Being the son of a deceased Werelord isn't easy, especially for someone as young as Thor. Short for Thorbjorn, it was the name his father, Duke Henrik had given him after his mother had died in childbirth. Ever since that fateful day in the snow, when Lucas had brutally murdered his father in cold blood, Thor had been wondering how he was supposed to lead his people by himself, having not received enough guidance and teaching from his father before his untimely demise. Thor had been there on the day his father was taken from him, standing beside Duke Bergan, his cousin. He had even experienced his first transformation due to the sheer rage and grief that had coursed through him. For most Werelords, the first change is a very painful experience, often lasting upwards of five minutes to reach the full transformation, but for the young Bearlord, his first had been an instantaneous, painless affair due to all the emotional power and adrenaline that had coursed through him. It had taken all of Bergan's massive strength in Bear form to wrestle him away from the scene and retreat through the fog, back to his peoples' encampment.

Whether he liked it or not, Thor had been thrust into a position of leadership among his people, as he was now the rightful lord of Sturmland. Luckily for him, Bergan was still with them, and Thor was content to let the old Bear take up the position of leadership. It had all worked out in the end, with Bergan and his friends, Bo Carver and Reuben Fry, leading them from the snow-covered peaks and into the foothills, where they were met by the Wolflord Drew Ferran. Thor had witnessed a warm reunion between the old Bear and the young Wolf that almost seemed like they were family, even though they were of different blood.

Thor had also been present when Lord Drew had bravely faced down Onyx, the Beast of Bast, as well as Ulik, an Apelord representing the Lions. Thor had even been there on the day of the final battle, shadowing Bergan and his brother, Redfearn. The old Bearlords had made that their condition for letting Thor fight. The swathe of death the two Bearlords had cut through the enemy that day was terrifying. He witnessed for the first time the terrible business of war, he himself even cutting down the odd man that slipped between the two Bearlords in front of him. He had taken his first life that day, but certainly not his last.

When the war was won, he had accompanied the two Bearlords, as well as Drew and his brother, Trent Ferran, who was still recovering from the effects of the Wyld magicks, and last but not least, Baron Hector of Redmire, the captive of the young Wolflord after Drew had cut off his corrupted limb, severing his connection with the phantom of Hector's dead brother. Thor noted that Drew still cared for the young Baron.

At last, when they arrived in Brackenholme, at the heart of the Dyrewood, they were all given separate rooms within the Great Oak, Thor glad to have a real feather bed under him after many months slept on the cold Sturmish snow, and the hard bedrolls they used as the traveled here. The next few months were uneventful, with Thor helping rebuild the beleaguered city after the attacks from the Wyldermen. Nothing worthy of note happened, until….

* * *

Thor awoke with a start when a loud banging, followed by Drew's voice, "Thor! Wake up! Meet us in the Great Hall!."

And with that, the Wolflord was gone, moving down the hall, most likely to do the same to his brother, Trent. The young White Bear of Sturmland slowly sat up, still groggy from sleep. He swung his legs off of the enormous bed, which was a specialty of the Bearlords and their massive size. Thor himself was only seventeen, but was already towering over most grown men that he knew, at six foot four. He wasn't as broad as the Bears of Brackenholme, having retained his White Bear traits, being more lean, rather than heavyset.

Thor stood up, the bed creaking from the movement, and walked to the large dresser in one corner of his quarters, picking out a black leather jerkin and some trousers, quickly changing, then slipping his boots on before opening the door and stepping into the well-lit, ornate hallway of the Great Oak. He made his way down the hall, in the direction of the Great Hall, arriving to see a crowd of his Uncle Bergan's-he had taken to calling him Uncle because cousin didn't sound right due to the age difference-most trusted advisors. He wasn't the last to arrive, hearing footsteps behind him, turning to greet Trent as he emerged from the hallway.

"What's all the commotion for?" he asked as he rubbed his face, clearly not still fully awake.

"I have no clue, I assume Drew woke you up as well?" asked Thor, as equally tired as his friend.

"Yes, even though we should have already been up and about," he said as he pointed out the ornate glass window at the back of the Hall,"dawn is clearly already long gone."

Thor cursed, as he was supposed to get up early, as it was his turn to help the stablemaster tend the horses.

"You two finally awake?" called a voice from the direction of the crowd. They both turned to face Drew, who was walking towards them, a smug grin on his face.

"Yes, now what is all this about?" asked Thor.

"Come, Bergan will explain everything."

The two fell in behind Drew as he led them towards a large, round table, which served as the old Bear's council chamber, as the last one had been destroyed in the attack by the Wyldermen. The young men approached the three empty seats left at the table, causing bergan to speak in his great booming voice, silencing everyone in the room, "Now that we are all here, everyone be seated, we have some grim business to discuss today."

When all present were seated, Bergan motioned for Harker to begin. "So, right to it then. One of the Wyld Wolves was spotted near the southern border of the Dyrewood, on the borders of the Longridings. And before you ask Drew, no, it is not Darkheart this time, the markings on the fur were clearly from a separate tribe."

Drew closed his mouth, a look of disappointment clear on his face. Harker continued, "Lord Bergan has agreed to send a scouting party to hunt the Wolf, and if possible, track it back to where it has been hiding."

Before Harker had even finished speaking, Drew, having been recently promoted a captain of the Woodland Watch, raised the White Fist of Icegarden in the air, "I'll lead the party."

Bergan looked at Drew, a hard expression on his face. "Are you sure, my boy?" the old Bearlord asked, already knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Absolutely," replied the Wolf.

"Alright, but you cannot go by yourself, I suggest that a branch should accompany you," said Bergan. "Thank you, but I would rather choose who accompanies me, if that doesn't pose a problem?" asked Drew.

"I'll go with you, Drew," came the words out of Thor's mouth before he even knew he'd said them.

"I couldn't ask you to do that, my friend, to put you in this kind of danger," replied Drew, his expression grateful, but sad.

"Who better but your friends? You would risk the lives of other men who may not want to go, but you refuse the help of those who would willingly offer their assistance?" asked Trent incredulously.

Drew stiffened, the harsh words of his brother cutting deep, but he realized the truth behind them, saying, "Very well, the both of you will accompany me, but I don't have a tracker, who we will most definitely need."

A great boom reverberated throughout the hall as the mighty doors were opened, and a tall, pale man, holding an enormous spear stepped into the massive room. "I believe you are in need of a tracker?" asked the tall man.

"Mikotaj!" exclaimed Drew as he quickly rose to greet his kin from Sturmland, "I am indeed, you will be most welcome to join our little merry band." At this comment, there was a collective chuckle throughout the therians, as they all knew full well that Mikotaj, The White Death, had no sense of humor.

* * *

Thor distrusted horses, as no horse he had ever seen could bear the weight of a changed Bearlord, but the prey they would be pursuing was a great deal faster than they were on foot, so he had to accept that fact, and reluctantly hauled himself into the saddle of the large charger he had been gifted.

Looking at his companions, he also noted that Mikotaj seemed to distrust horses as well, with the feeling being mutual, as the horse turned this way and that, with the White wolf pulling too hard on the reins, trying to calm the beast. Thor then turned his attention to Trent, the Wolf Knight, as he had been aptly named when he was with the Staglords of Stormdale, sat at ease in the saddle of his old friend Storm. The stallion and he had been through thick and thin together, with Storm having been feared lost in the wilds, Trent was overjoyed at her recovery.

Lastly, Thor turned his attention to Drew, the captain of this 'Merry Band' as he had named it, approaching. As he knew, Drew visited his old friend Hector in his captivity each day, trying to rebuild the trust that had been severed. Drew also payed a visit to the grave of his love, Lady Whitley, the daughter of Bergan. After Whitley's passing, Bergan had done the only sensible thing, bringing Drew with him to the Dyrewood, the only place that seemed to feel like home to Drew, where the old Duke had essentially adopted him as his own.

"Are we ready?" asked Drew as he got closer.

"Ready as we'll ever be," replied Thor.

Even after befriending Drew, the Wolflord was still shrouded in hurt and loss that ran so deep, the young Bearlord wondered how he still lived, which further intensified his respect for the Wolf. the age difference was only one cycle, but the experience was weighed heavily in Drew's favor.

"Good," replied Drew before swinging into the saddle of his charger, Bravado, a gift from the Stags of Stormdale after he helped engineer the defense of their city. The Duke Bergan approached, having come down to see them off.

"You be careful, my boy, and come back, you're all I have left," said the old Bear solemnly.

Drew reached down from his saddle to rest a reassuring hand on the Duke's shoulder, looking him in the eyes. "I always do, don't I?" he replied.

With this, Bergan gave a nod, and backed away from the charger. Drew turned to his traveling companions and said,"Well then, let's get this Merry Band on the road then, shall we?"

With that, he turned Bravado on his heels and galloped out of the city gate, with Trent closely following. Thor shared an uneasy look with Mikotaj, their mutual dislike of horses clear to eachother.

"Well, I guess we have to for Drew," said the White Wolf as he took off after the disappearing Ferran brothers. Thor looked towards the heavens and said, "Brenn help me." Digging his heels into the sides of his charger, he set off down the road, an uneasy feeling in his gut.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WEREWORLD OR ANY CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY**

 **Chapter 2**

Thor awoke to the smell of smoke and cooking meat. They had been on the Dymling Road headed south all day, having stopped to camp for the night in a small grove away from prying eyes. As soon as they had set camp, Thor happily let sleep take him. The young Bearlord had not traveled like this since the end of the war a few months ago.

He sat up from his bedroll and turned towards the small campfire, spying a cooking rabbit, as well as a few small birds laying off to one side, ready to be placed on the spit after the rabbit.

"Well, since you're finally awake, come join us," said Drew, looking up from the map he was holding after seeing the young Bear's movements from the corner of his eye.

Thor gladly obliged, rising from his bedroll and slipping his cloak back onto his shoulders, and walked to the empty log beside the fire and seated himself. "Thank you," he said as Trent passed him a leg from the rabbit before taking the other for himself.

He quickly sunk his teeth into it, the juices flowing down his chin. Thor did the same, for he was starving, as he had not eaten since that morning before leaving Brackenholme. They had covered quite a bit of ground that day, alternating between a canter and a walk for the horses, which were tied to a large tree stump nearby, on the edges of the small camp.

"Where's Mikotaj?" asked the young Bear.

Trent wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before answering, "He chose to scout ahead, see if he could find any tracks for us to follow in the morning. He should be returning shortly." As if on cue, Thor heard hoofbeats as Mikotaj emerged from the trees, leading his horse, Thunder, from the trees by its reins.

"Anything?" asked Drew as he rose to greet the White Wolf.

"Nothing," came the reply, almost sounding relieved.

"Not surprising. We're still a long way off from where the Wyld Wolf was sighted five days ago," said Drew.

The Wyld Wolf, being one of the perverted excuses for werewolves that the dark shaman, Blackheart, had turned himself and the other tribe leaders into, using Drew's own severed hand no less. They were ordered under no circumstance to engage the enemy, rather learn the location of the lair and ride back to Brackenholme and inform Duke Bergan and General Harker, which would send five branches back with them to finish off the Wyld Wolves for good. But Thor had his doubts about whether or not that would actually happen, given Drew's reckless reputation, and personal hate for the Wolves. They were, after all, directly involved in the death of Lady Whitley, his beloved, who had died in his arms.

"Alright, everyone get some shut eye, we have a long ride ahead of us. Thor, you have first watch. Wake me when the moon gets to be about a third of the way," said Drew as he made for his bedroll, with Mikotaj falling into his as well.

Trent stayed by the fire, not yet done with his rabbit. When Trent had sucked the last of the marrow from the leg bone, he threw it into the fire and turned towards the young Bearlord.

"So, Thor, strapping young therian as you are, how come you haven't caught the attention of some young Werelady?" he asked, a smug grin on his face.

Thor was a little taken aback by the question out of nowhere, replying, "Icegarden is a remote place, not many Werelords or ladies come to visit, and my father never liked to travel out of Sturmland. What of you? Shouldn't you be in Hedgemoor with Lady Gretchen?"

The relationship between the Wolf Knight and the striking Werefox was no secret, even though the couple wished it was. Trent looked up at the stars, seeming to think about the question. "My brother needs me, Thor," he said as he looked back down at the Bear.

Thor paused for a second before stating, "Yes, but there must be something more than that. You could've rode down from Hedgemoor to go on this mission with us, but you chose to ride straight to Brackenholme with Drew, rather than stay with her."

Trent looked back up to the stars. "They always seem so peaceful…," he said, appearing to be lost in thought. Then abruptly, he stood up and looked down at the young Bearlord. "Its getting late, I'm going to get some shut eye." And with that, he walked to his bedroll and lay on his side, facing away from Thor.

 _There must be something more to their relationship, but I won't pry at him,_ Thor thought as he rose and moved to the edge of camp, wedging himself between two enormous roots and wrapped his cloak around him, as to keep watch without being seen. Nothing happened during his watch, so when the moon was in the appropriate spot, he rose and moved to Drew, kneeling and shaking the young Wolf awake for his turn. Thor then retired back to his own bedroll and let sleep overtake him.

* * *

Thor woke to a shaking sensation, opening his eyes and finding Trent above him. "Wake up, time to move." with that, he moved to wake the others.

They all quickly disassembled their camp site and loaded their things back into the saddlebags on their horses. The sun had not yet risen, the sky just now showing the first signs of pink from what they could see through the thick foliage of the Dyrewood's enormous trees. They mounted their horses and set off south down the Dymling road once again, riding in silence for the first few miles, each of the four men still groggy. They rode single file, at a canter, with drew in the lead, followed by Trent, Mikotaj, and lastly, Thor. They kept this pace for several hours before stopping at a small stream next to the road to refill their water rations.

When Thor looked up, for a moment, it appeared that everyone had disappeared, but upon closer inspection, he could see all three of his companions. This was mostly due to the long, flowing, dark green cloaks of the Woodland Watch, as well as the brown, studded leather breastplates that they wore, blending perfectly with the surrounding trunks. All seemed quiet, and the four were about to remount their horses and continue on their way, when Drew sniffed at the air, eyes going wide, holding up a fist, the universal signal for halt.

Drew moved his thumb and index finger to the bridge of his nose, indicating that he smelled something approaching. He motioned for the four to take cover, and they quickly moved for the treeline. Thor noticed that he was by far the loudest of the group, due to his large size, snapping twigs and underbrush, while the other three moved with expert silence, Trent and Drew having grown up hunting on the Cold Coast, and Mikotaj being an expert tracker.

Suddenly, the thought occurred to Thor that he might not have been the best candidate for a stealth mission, as he knelt behind a large trunk next to Trent. He breathed a sigh of relief as they had taken the horses down to the bank of the stream to water them, so at least they were hidden from the eyes of those on the road. Drew kept his eyes intently focuses on the road to their left, as if waiting for someone to appear.

While Thor was a Bearlord, a bear's sense of smell not being as good as the wolf's, he still let some of the bear in, then sniffed at the air. Sure enough, he could smell something approaching. It wasn't human, but a beast. He let a little more of the bear in and sniffed harder this time. What he smelled alarmed him.

It smelled like wolf. Not a therian Wolf, like Drew, or even a Dire Wolf, which were native to these woods, no, it smelled dark, and more dangerous. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Drew and Mikotaj stiffen, and looked where they were looking, and that's when he saw them. Two Wyld Wolves.

One had blue warpaint across his fur in the pattern of a spiderweb, the other with a white skull painted on its chest. The two approaching Wolves stopped and sniffed at the air. Thor thanked Brenn that they were downwind from the two, otherwise they would be found in seconds.

 _No, they may smell the horses, though,_ he thought to himself. After a few seconds, which seemed like hours, the two Wolves continued on their way, heading north, the way that Thor and company had come from. When Drew was certain that they no longer needed to hide, he motioned to break cover. Thor and Trent walked over to Drew and Mikotaj.

"Well, captain, that is our quarry, is it not?" asked Mikotaj.

"Indeed, though I hadn't expected them to travel more than one at a time," said Drew in response.

"So what do we do?" asked Trent, eager to get revenge on those who had bitten him and nearly turned him into one of those monstrosities.

Drew stopped and pretended to think for a moment before saying, "We follow them, of course."

* * *

"Isn't it a little quiet?" asked Thor. Drew looked at him gravely and said, "I think we are no longer the hunters, but the hunted." Thor blanched at the statement and Drew signaled to form a square, riding two across, and two deep. All the sounds of nature has disappeared from the air as every muscle in Thor's body tensed, preparing him what was to come.

Suddenly, an arrow shot out from the foliage and embedded itself into Thor's left shoulder, the force of the impact throwing from his saddle, and rolled into the ditch off the right side of the road. He lay there dazed from the impact and the fall, and was vaguely aware of shouting back up on the road, when realization dawned on him: they were under attack!

Thor quickly shook his head and reached over to snap off the arrow shaft protruding from his shoulder. When that was done, he then began to change. He felt almost every bone in his body crack as he grew to accommodate the Bear. His ribs expanded, spine elongated, nose and face turning into a short, broad muzzle. All the while, his skin sprouting the beautiful white hair of the Sturmish White Bears.

When the change was complete, he moved his hand to the loop on his belt, and pulled up his double-bladed Sturmish steel battleaxe that Duke Bergan had commissioned the smiths to forge for Thor. Then, the massive White Bear in all his glory, scrambled back up the side of the ditch and emerged back on the road.

What he beheld was utter chaos. Drew and Mikotaj, both changed, White and Grey Wolves, stood back to back, surrounded by a crowd of at least twenty Wyldermen. Thor looked off to the side and saw Trent, still astride Storm, riding this way and that, sword flashing, but he was surrounded by at least the same number as Drew and Mikotaj. Thor made his decision, he took off towards Trent, bowling over and trampling the few Wyldermen that stood in his way.

When he reached the crowd, he tore into them, teeth and claws and axe flying, tearing apart all that stood before him, as the Wyldermen were shirtless savages, they did not wear the armor of traditional Lyssians. During a lull, he glanced over his shoulder, back towards Drew and Mikotaj and saw Moonbrand and the White Fist flying. The violent grace of Drew in Werewolf form was undeniable, with Mikotaj throwing mighty sweeps and jabs at his opponents with his massive spear.

Thor turned his attention back to the men in front of him, as it was dangerous to become distracted in the heat of battle. He bared his teeth and roared, expecting the men to flee, but they returned the action and he saw that all of them had teeth filed down into sharp points. Then they charged in unison, trying to surround the young Bear. One of them even climbed onto his back while he was occupied with the crowd in front of him and began stabbing around his mighty, muscled shoulders with a knife. Thor reached up and grabbed the man with his free hand and threw him into his comrades, knocking a few down.

Thor then went back on the offensive, his pristine white fur turning red with the stains of the blood of the Wyldermen. When he had finally defeated the last of them, nearly cutting the man in half with his great double-bladed battleaxe, he turned towards Trent, the Wolf Knight wiping his sword on his cloak. The knight nodded to Thor, recognizing that he did well, and Thor nodded back.

He was still not as experienced as any of his companions, but he was still powerful. Thor let the Bear go, it having served his purpose, and his body began to shrink, the hair receding. When he was human again, he turned towards Drew and Mikotaj, who were also in human form.

"Thank Brenn for these shifting leather straps, eh?" said the White Wolf, referring to the special straps in Werelords' armor that allowed their armow to shift as they shifted, so they could keep it on instead of it bursting as they grew. Mikotaj lifted his left arm and presented a long furrow in the studded leather of his breastplate. "It's not silver, but it would still hurt like hell."

Drew regarded Thor before saying, "You did well."

This was high praise coming from the Wolflord, considering this was only the young Bearlord's second battle in his life, and probably Drew's hundredth.

"Thank you. Now, we need to figure out how they knew we would be here," said Thor.

"I'm betting that those Wyld Wolves actually did catch our scent, and staged this ambush to allow time for them to escape us," said Trent. He turned to Mikotaj, "Can you find the trail?"

After almost an hour of searching for the tracks of the Wolves, Mikotaj called it and said, "The trail has gone cold."

Drew cursed, then said, "Well, let's wash up and set up camp." His tired companions completely agreed, picking their way down to the stream to wash the gore of battle off of their clothing, skin, and weapons. Thor had forgotten how much changing could tax your body, for as soon as his head hit his bedroll after a quick meal of roasted pheasant, he fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Thor cursed himself for forgetting the arrowhead that was still in his shoulder, for when he woke, he was immediately greeted by a searing pain. "We need to take that out before it gets infected, if it hasn't already," said Trent, gesturing towards the young Bearlord's shoulder.

Trent tore a strip of leather off of his saddle and folded it, before handing it to Thor. "Here, you're going to need this, can't have the whole forest knowing where we are."

Thor took a deep breath and steadied himself for the pain he was about to experience. Trent crouched over the fire, placing his knife inside the flames, before pulling it out when he was satisfied it was hot enough.

"I'm going to let you know right now, this is going to hurt. A lot," said the Wolf Knight.

Thor simply nodded and placed the leather strap in his mouth, steeling himself. He gestured for Trent to begin. He placed a hand on the younger therian's shoulder before digging in with the knife, starting to cut away the flesh surrounding the barbed arrowhead, so that they might pull it out. Thor wanted to say that he had felt worse, but he couldn't comprehend the pain he was feeling. It was as if he was the butter to Trent's hot knife. Finally, when it seemed like the pain would never end, Trent reached in and took hold, before pulling out the head with a wet pop. He immediately started applying a bandage and tourniquet to Thor's arm, as the blood had started flowing due to the arrow blocking the veins. When he tied the final knot, Thor finally relaxed and took the leather out of his mouth.

"Thank you," he said.

Trent looked up and smirked, "Don't mention it."

The young knight rose and moved to sit by the fire, and Thor followed. Just as the two of them had sat down, Drew, the Wolflord and savior of Lyssia, emerged from the trees near the edge of their campsite, carrying several meaty looking rabbits. As he reached the fire, he set down the fresh game and the three of them went to work skinning the animals, before beginning to roast them on a spit over the fire.

At the smell of food, Mikotaj, the White Wolf of Shadowhaven, sat up from his bedroll and moved to join the others. They all ate in silence, eyes alert, knowing full well that they could be being watched right now.

As the sun set and darkness descended on the forest, Drew spoke, "We'll need to double the watch at night, now that they know we're here. Trent and I will take first watch, we'll wake the two of you when the night is halfway through."

They all acknowledged this, so Thor and Mikotaj immediately went to their bedrolls to try and get the most sleep possible before their shift, while Drew and Trent took up positions on opposite sides of the camp. Thor took a moment to think over the day's events, realizing that there was a possibility of him having died in that ambush, and he sent silent thanks to Brenn, for that wasn't the case. He didn't dwell on the fact, but closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

* * *

Thor awoke to Drew gently shaking him. Thor arose from his bedroll and looked up at the beautiful crescent moon halfway through the sky. He picked up his battleaxe and slipped it through the loop on his belt and moved to a position that overlooked the camp. He watched as Mikotaj moved to a point opposite him and they sat in complete silence, heads on a swivel, keeping a vigilant watch for the enemy.

As the first streaks of pink and orange began to streak through the clouds, they moved to wake the other two, and they sat down and ate a morning meal of stale bread and leftover rabbit meat from the night before. They were already on the road back north, hoping to catch some glimpse of the Wyld Wolves' trail when the sun first appeared over the tops of the trees.

Thor happened to glance over and see that Mikotaj had embraced the Wolf enough to grow the muzzle, allowing for a much greater sense of smell. They had pushed the horses at a trot for about an hour when Mikotaj said, "Wait."

Drew turned Bravado around to face him. "What is it?" he asked.

Mikotaj dismounted and paced to the side of the road, before crouching to study the ground. He pushed some dirt out of the way and picked something up, walking over to show Drew. "This look like a trail to you?" he asked.

Thor edged Snowbank a little closer, to see what Mikotaj had in his hand. As he neared, he saw that it was a black claw. A Wyld Wolf's claw.

"I'm betting that the two of you can follow the scent of those Wolves from here using that, can't you?" asked Trent, gesturing towards the two Werewolves.

"Oh, absolutely. The question is, is this here on purpose?" said Drew, seemingly uneasy.

Thor spoke up, "There was that ambush earlier, how can we be sure that this isn't a trap as well?"

Drew looked at him, a hard expression on his face. "We don't, but it's a risk we're going to have to take."

* * *

The scent trail that they followed was strong, according to Mikotaj. Unfortunately, the undergrowth was too thick for the horses, so they left them tied to a large tree, near the edge of the road, praying that no one would come across them and steal one of their prized mounts, as well as the food and water rations.

Thor thought they had been wandering aimlessly through the forest for what seemed like hours, when they finally came to the edge of a large clearing. They took cover behind some large bushes, and what they saw alarmed them. Towards the back of the clearing, there was a large rock outcropping, with what looked like a cave entrance at the base, but that wasn't the alarming part. There was a large, wooden palisade that was clearly constructed from the trees surrounding it, judging by the number of stumps in the clearing. The palisade encircled the cave entrance, making it impossible to get to without going through one of the two gates, or jumping from forty or so feet in the air at the top of the outcropping.

Drew turned toward his companions and said, "The scent trail leads into that fort, ao I'm betting that the Wolves are in there, most likely in the cave." Trent had a defeated look on his face.

Thor turned to Drew. "So, what's the play?"

Drew looked around at each of them and said with a grin, "I hope you boys are ready for a fight."

* * *

"This is a stupid plan," said Thor.

"Shut up, you'll give us away," whispered Mikotaj.

Thor was to become limp as Mikotaj dragged him toward the palisade, hopefully not getting attacked on sight, as he had undressed into only his breeches, and smeared himself in clay, to blend in as one of the Wyldermen. When they reached the fort, Mikotaj was to assert his dominance by baring his Wolf teeth, much like Drew had done during the Battle of Brackenholme, where hopefully he would be accepted for capturing a Greencloak scout, which was Thor. Presently, however, Thor did not like their chances of survival, as he could hear shouting behind the wooden walls, but did not dare look, as he was supposed to be an unconscious prisoner.

When Mikotaj finally reached the gate, it swung open, and a Wylderman who looked like the chieftain stepped out, accompanied by two brutes of men at either shoulder. The chieftain slowly opened his mouth, revealing finely sharpened teeth all the way around. He then waited for Mikotaj's response. Mikotaj took a steady breath and let just enough of the Wolf in to extend his teeth, which swiftly caused blood to run from his gums. The chief, satisfied, gestured for Mikotaj to follow, then to his men to pick up Thor. He was taken to a small, wooden paddock, and thrown into the mud next to a very unhappy looking pig. He then gave the illusion of waking for the first time as he sat up and groaned. He took a moment to study the inside of the palisade. It was surprisingly strong, for a Wyldermen camp, as they were a savage, uncivilized people.

Shouts off towards the large tent at the center of the camp, followed by a roar, signaled that Mikotaj had changed. This was Thor's signal, so he easily hopped the small, wooden fence, and started for the gate, embracing the White Bear as he ran. By the time he reached the gate they had entered through, he was in full Bear form, and took full advantage of that, charging with his shoulder lowered at the gate, which shattered upon impact. Drew and Trent quickly followed through the gap, the latter tossing him his battleaxe.

As they turned a corner, they saw Mikotaj running towards them, and Drew, who was in full Wolf form, tossed him his spear. Together, the three therians and the Wolf Knight cleared a path through the savages, aiming for the mouth of the cave. As they reached it, with no one else obstructing their path, they turned to face their enemy. As they watched, surprised, the Wyldermen warily backed away, as if the four warriors radiated power.

 _This is strange. I wonder if this cave is somehow sacred to them, and they are not allowed to cross the threshold?_ Thor thought to himself.

The four of them never took their eyes off the Wyldermen as they began to slowly back into the safety of the cave. When Drew was sure they were safe, he spoke, "I've seen caves like this before, they are sacred to them and only tribal leaders are able to enter."

Trent turned towards his brother with a grim look on his face. "That means the Wyld Wolves are allowed to enter, since they are the leaders of the separate tribes." Drew nodded, clearly uneasy.

"Well, only one way to find out," said Thor, "forward."

The four proceeded deeper into the cave, twisting this way and that for what felt like miles, before they heard a strange noise. It sounded like chanting. They emerged from the tunnels into a large cavern that was at least thirty feet to the ceiling. At the center of it stood a statue of almost equal height that seemed to be a massive serpent.

"Vala," muttered Trent, "they still worship her after her death?"

Thor studied the statue more closely. "I don't think that is Vala. Vala didn't have wings," he said.

The other three looked, and sure enough, two large wings sprouted from the back of the large serpent-like creature's back. Thor shifted his gaze from the statue to what was going on at its base. What he saw chilled his blood. Three Wyld Wolves, in a triangle, seemingly praying to the statue in unison, which is what the chanting sound was.

Drew wasted no time, as he was still in Wolf form, he leapt towards the Wolves in three immense bounds, running the first one through with Moonbrand, the creature dying instantly. By then, the other two were alert, and ready to fight, having seen one f their number fall so quickly, they were very cautious. Thor charged one, swinging his axe out in front of him, but it leapt over and landed behind him, where Trent was waiting with his longsword out. He and Thor went to work, cutting the beast apart between the two of them, it falling under their relentless onslaught. Drew and Mikotaj seemed to be having a tougher time with theirs, but the Wyld Wolf was soon surrounded on all four sides.

Surprisingly, then thing in front of them spoke with a raspy, growling voice, "You're too late, young Wolf. Darkheart will succeed in waking the Serpent Mother once again, you cannot stop him."

After laughter that sounded like gravel, the Wyld Wolf leapt onto one of the wings of the great statue, then towards the ceiling, impaling itself on one of the massive stalactites. Its lifeless body then slid off and plummeted to the floor, landing with a sickening crunch.

"They plan to wake Vala again? How is that even possible?" asked Thor.

Drew looked lost in thought for a second before answering, "I don't think it is Vala this time. Vala is known as the Great Serpent. The Wolf called this the 'Serpent Mother'."

Trent looked around at his companions, who were all back to human form, "Anyone have any ideas as to what the 'Serpent Mother' is then?"

Drew sighed heavily and looked at Trent. "Hector might know."


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WEREWORLD OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS**

 **Chapter 4**

Thor was thanking Brenn over and over again that he was back in civilization. He and his companions, Drew, Mikotaj, and Trent had rode all through the night to make it back to Brackenholme after having discovered the Wylderman fort where they had learned of the Wyld Wolves' plan to unleash the 'Serpent Mother'.

They passed through the large wooden gate just after dawn, and had stopped only to put their horses in the stables before proceeding to the Great Oak at the center of the large town. Thor took a peek over the edge of the lift they were currently on, remembering that it was a three hundred foot drop to the ground.

"Never get used to the height, do you?" asked Drew behind him.

Thor shook his head, "Makes me dizzy every time."

Drew chuckled before turning and stepping off the lift, as they had arrived at the top. His three companions followed. They strode into the Great Hall, where Duke Bergan was seated in his huge wooden throne. As he looked up from the book he had in his hands, his face immediately brightened, his face crinkling with smile lines.

"Ah, I was beginning to get worried, but here you all are in one piece," said the old Bear as he rose to embrace Drew before doing the same to Thor, then slapping Trent and Mikotaj on the back.

"Aye, we're all fine, Thor was shot with an arrow, but it's nothing serious," said Drew, gesturing to the young White Bear.

Bergan's brow furrowed with worry before asking, "So how did you get shot at? Your orders were to not engage, but to report anything you found back to me."

Drew spread his hands apologetically. "Despite what you may think, I didn't start it. We were tracking two of the Wolves before we were ambushed by Wyldermen. We then tailed them back to their hideout where we killed the Wolves," stated the Wolflord.

"So did you learn anything from them?" asked Bergan, looking surprised at Drew's story.

Trent stepped forward and began, "Before the last Wolf was killed, he said something about resurrecting a 'Serpent Mother'."

Bergan immediately went pale from fear. "They're trying to revive Vala? Will we never be rid of her?"

Drew moved to calm him. "I believe that this is something else entirely, because Vala was known as the 'Great Serpent', not the Serpent Mother," he said.

Bergan relaxed a little before stating, "I've never heard of a Serpent Mother, then."

Drew looked around at his companions. "Well, we anticipated that, and we actually came to ask Hector."

* * *

The dungeons of the Garrison Tree were surprisingly well lit and decorated, despite being a dungeon. Bergan was leading the single file line through the bright hallway until he came to a heavy pine door. He pulled a large key off of the peg next to the door and moved to unlock it.

It swung open into the old observatory turned library prison cell for the one handed Boarlord, Hector. He looked up and was surprised to see so many visitors at once, as it was usually just Drew or Bergan.

"Never have I had so many visitors, so what's the occasion?" he asked as he paced towards them.

Drew moved forward to shake his old friend's hand. "We need your help Hector."

The young magister was taken aback. He started to speak, his voice sounding cautious, "What sort of help?"

Drew looked back at Bergan, who nodded. "We need to know about the Serpent Mother."

Hector put his finger to his chin, appearing to be thinking. "Ah," he muttered to himself before walking over to a large stack of books from Redmire. He pulled out a very old, worn book that was so faded that there was no title to be seen.

"This is the histories of the Ancients," he flipped to a page towards the middle, "and this is everything they wrote about the Serpent Mother."

He handed the book to Drew, who looked down at the pages. He began to read, "The Serpent Mother is a Werelord of unimaginable power. Visit Acowood for more detail." He looked up at Hector before back down at the page. "This is it?" he asked incredulously.

Hector winced with guilt before holding up his hand and stump apologetically. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

Drew looked up at Bergan, who seemed to be lost in thought. "Bergan, does this mean anything to you?"

The old Bear looked down at Drew, a serious look on his face, "All of you, follow me." He started for the door before stopping and turning around. "Not you, Hector. Thank you for your help, but I'm still not sure we can trust you."

And with that, he strode out of Hector's room, followed by Thor, Trent, and Mikotaj. Drew turned to his old friend, "Really Hector, thank you." He smiled at the Boar before turning and following the others, locking the door behind him.

* * *

Thor had to sprint to catch up to the others, as Bergan seemed to be in a hurry, the old Bear practically sprinting towards the base of the Great Oak. He circled the base of the tree, seeming to be looking for something. He grunted when he found it, crouching and lifting a root, which turned out to be on hinges, and was a secret trap door built into a root. Bergan waved the others down, and as they descended the stone steps, he closed it above them. The old Bear grabbed a torch off the wall and lit the braziers on either side of the staircase. The room they were in was not very remarkable, a few bookshelves stacked with books were on the walls, and there was a large tree stump in the center of the room that seemed to be about waist height.

Thor asked what they were all thinking, "What is this place?" Bergan turned to face them.

"This room contains all the books from the Ancient world that were saved from Highcliff when Leopold took the throne."

He walked towards the stump in the center of the room, and Thor saw a map of the Dyrewood carved into the surface. Bergan moved the torch to provide better lighting before pointing to an area on the map. Next to his finger, there was a city called Acowood carved into the stump.

"So Acowood is a city?" asked Mikotaj.

"Correct," said Bergan. "And I'm guessing we're going to have to go there?" asked Trent.

"Unfortunately, also correct," said the old Bear.

"But I have to warn you, the people that dwell there have not had outside contact with anyone other than themselves, and Redfearn and I. Only the Bearlords of the Dyrewood are entrusted with its location, so they may not be as hospitable as you may expect."

Thor looked uneasily around at his friends. _Another secluded town in the middle of the forest? Because that went so amazingly well the first time,_ he thought to himself.

"These people are also formidable warriors, and live by a code that they must die by. So take my advice, do not anger them," said Bergan.

* * *

They headed out Brackenholme's east gate at noon, and Thor was having a sense of deja vu. _The last time we rode out of Brackenholme like this, I ended up getting shot. I don't expect this will go much better,_ he thought.

He took a deep breath and sighed, resigned to his fate. They rode in silence for most of the day, before camping that night and eating a small meal of cram rations and dried meat, as they had restocked their food supplies in Brackenholme. They took turns at watch before waking at dawn and continuing on.

They stopped around midday to eat and water the horses at a nearby stream. Thor was washing the dirt from himself in the stream when he heard nearby noises in the brush. He quickly jumped out and redressed before investigating. As he drew closer to the sound, he realized that it was the sound of a fight, so he quickened his pace to a run, bursting through the bushes into a strange scene.

There were maybe twenty Wyldermen, but they weren't the strange part. What they were fighting was a large, yellow and black striped, hairy creature. It had four arms, two legs, and huge eyes that seemed to see completely around it's head, as well as two unfamiliar curved steel swords in two of its hands. It also probably once had two wings, but it now only had one, as the other was torn in half.

 _A bee,_ Thor realized. Only this was a six foot version. Thor sized up the situation. _If the Wyldermen are fighting it, then it could potentially be friendly. Then again, it could try to kill me too,_ he thought.

His decision made, Thor took off towards the Wyldermen, changing as he went, hand turning into paws, face elongating into a short muzzle, teeth turning into sharp canines, and finally, the pristine white fur of the Ice Bears sprouting from his skin.

He pulled his battleaxe from the loop on his belt and went into action, vaguely aware of the large bee off to his left. When the Wyldermen realized that they could not beat both who they were fighting, and this newcomer, the survivors fled into the surrounding forest, Thor roaring at them triumphantly.

He quickly shifted back into human form, placing his axe into its loop and holding his hands up as a gesture that he meant no harm to the bee,who was eyeing him warily. To Thor's surprise, the bee began to shrink as well, wings, hair and antennae sinking back into a human head, eyes becoming smaller and turning into human eyes. The Werebee still did not sheath his swords, however. He began to approach, and Thor blanched.

 _Great, killed by a giant bee, what a way to go,_ he thought to himself, readying for a fight if need be. What the other did though, surprised Thor. The Werebee knelt in the grass and stuck one sword into the ground, while presenting the other sword to Thor. The young Bearlord didn't know what to do, as he had never been knelt to.

To his relief, the Werebee spoke, "I am Maddox...bzzt, a Werebee of Acowood. You have saved my life, and I now owe you a blood debt...bzzt. My life...bzzt, is now yours in servitude."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Hey guys, sorry I've been away for so long. I'm gonna be honest, I forgot this story existed, but now I'm back, and I'm just as eager to learn what's in store for our heroes as you all are! Thank you guys for reading and enjoy! This is the longest chapter yet._**

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WEREWORLD OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS**

 **Chapter 5**

"So, if I am hearing correctly, you met a bee man, saved his life, and now he says he will serve you until the day he dies?" asked Trent incredulously.

Thor spread his hands and shrugged. "I guess he has to come with us then. And besides, didn't you say that he said he was from Acowood?" asked Drew.

"That's what he said." Thor put his index finger and thumb to his lips and let out a shrill whistle. A few seconds later, the four of them heard a low buzz which grew louder by the second. Over the treetops appeared Maddox who reduced his speed and landed in front of the four men, quickly turning back into human form. He was shorter than the average man, standing only five feet tall, and shaped like a barrel, owing to his bee heritage. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head and said "My name is Maddox, at your service. Any friend of Master Thor's is a friend of mine...bzzt."

Thor quickly bent over and raised Maddox up. "No need for the Master, it's just Thor." Maddox simply smirked and said "As you wish Master Thor." Thor rolled his eyes and looked at the other three who were chuckling to themselves. "I, for one, like him," said Trent, still laughing.

Drew raised his hands and said "Alright, enough banter, we have a mission after all. So Maddox, you say you are from Acowood?" Maddox nodded. "Indeed. We shinobees rarely venture outside of our native land, only for hunting, as I was just now before I was ambushed...bzzt."

Drew grunted and said, "Well, as it happens, we were on our way to Acowood ourselves, could you perhaps show us the way? This way we can converse without having to look down at a map every few minutes." Maddox bowed, causing the crossing swords on his back to clink. "It would be my honor Master...bzzt."

Drew brightened. "Great! So allow me to introduce myself, I am Drew, this is Mikotaj, of course you already know Thor, and that ugly mutt over there is my brother Trent." Maddox gave a bow to each as Drew motioned towards them, bowing the deepest to Thor. "By the way, since you owe a life debt to Thor, I understand you calling him Master, but since you don't owe me anything, those kinds of manners aren't necessary," said Drew. Maddox nodded his understanding.

"Hey Drew, his may be a bad time but he doesn't have a horse," stated Trent.

"Ah, apologies, we shinobees do not trust any means of transportation other than our own wings...bzzt," said Maddox.

Thor made a motion with his hand, "But one of your wings was severed by the Wyldermen, you can't fly anymore."

Maddox simply chuckled. "My race is unique..bzzt...if one of our wings is severed in battle, it is made up of so thin a membrane that it will simply grow back the next time we change...bzzt." The four men had surprised, yet impressed looks on their faces.

"Well that seems useful," stated Mikotaj.

"Indeed," said Drew as he mounted up, "so we had better get going before that storm hits." He threw a fist with his thumb extended over his shoulder, gesturing to the imposing dark grey clouds in the distance. "Trent paled, "Agreed, let's find some shelter before it starts pouring." The other three quickly mounted back up as Maddox let in enough of the bee to sprout his wings, and the five set off.

They stayed at a light trot for about an hour before Thor turned to Maddox who was flying beside him and asked "I'm curious, what kind of swords are those? I've never seen any quite like them." Maddox reached back and drew one of his swords and offered it to Thor, who took it and began inspecting it.

"It is called a katana, a specialty and close secret of my shinobee people...bzzt," explained Maddox. Thor grasped the hilt and gave an experimental swing. "It's so light." Maddox nodded. "The metal we use is tempered steel, much stronger and lighter than regular steel, almost identical to Sturmish steel, but without its magical properties...bzzt."

Thor had a puzzled look on his face as he asked, "How do you know of Sturmish steel? My uncle Bergan said that the Werebees of Acowood never left their homeland."

Maddox's expression lightened a bit. "Ah, so that is how you knew of Acowood...bzzt….To answer your question, I am a bit of a rebel among my people, and they most likely would not miss me if I up and disappeared one day, so I did...bzzt….I left home one summer oh, maybe three years ago and travelled all over Lyssia. I visited Brackenholme and Icegarden, even to the Eastern deserts of Omir, all the while studying the distinct cultural traits of each people...bzzt."

Thor widened his eyes in amazement. "When did you return from your journey?" Maddox smirked, "Oh, about three days ago...bzzt."

The other four snapped their heads towards him immediately. "Does that mean you fought in the war?" asked Trent.

Maddox nodded, "I joined King Faisal's army when he marched out of Azra...bzzt." Drew sighed and looked down at his saddle.

"What is wrong, cousin?" asked Mikotaj. Drew looked up at him, his expression solemn.

"It seems that no one was spared from the war that was started on my behalf," said Drew, looking down again. Thor was shocked to hear what Drew had just said, he truly cared for everyone around him, even complete strangers, which is what made him such a great leader and friend. As if sensing the tension in the air, Trent subtly changed the subject by pointing at a thick, rocky overhang slightly off the road. Drew nodded and motioned for Trent to lead the way. As they approached, they saw the overhang would easily inhabit the five of them as well as the four horses, which they unsaddled and picketed inside. They gathered extra wood for a fire, even more than usual, as rainy nights in the Dyrewood could get very cold. Thor silently thanked Brenn for the warm, green cloak of the woodland watch that was around his shoulders, as he would definitely need it tonight. Once the fire was started, the five men sat around it, relaxing themselves after the day's travels, and one by one turning in, with Maddox volunteering for the first watch.

* * *

Thor was awakened by the enticing smell of cooking meat. He immediately rolled over to see Trent and Maddox bent over the fire, cooking the delicious smelling meat from what Thor observed to be the carcass of a deer that Mikotaj had killed, judging from the bloody spear next to it. Thor gratefully accepted his portion and washed it down with some water from his skin, then prepared himself for the day's travels. "How far to Acowood?" asked Trent.

"Not far, we should be there by midday...bzzt," replied Maddox. Trent nodded then quickly helped pack up the campsite, and they set off again, with Maddox flying along beside. "I should warn all of you...bzzt...that my people have strange customs. We are a very polite people and always smile and bow...bzzt. When you are greeted by one of our officials, they will draw their sword and point it at you...bzzt. This is merely a greeting and the proper response is to draw your own weapon, gently push their blade aside, then bow, and they will bow also...bzzt," explained Maddox.

The other four men nodded their understanding. Maddox nodded back and said, "Good, because we are here...bzzt."

Thor's first thought was of how sweet the air smelled, then when they turned a corner, he found out why. The entire city in front of them was made out of beehives. Each individual house was a hive, dominated by the biggest one of them all, which was well over fifty feet high. The outer walls of the city were made out of honeycomb, and looked to be coated in honey, which was definitely the sweet scent Thor was smelling. Manning the walls were dozens of shinobee, each armed and alert. As the five of them approached the large honeycomb door, it opened to allow them inside, where they saw a few stern looking shinobee with drawn katanas. The one in the middle, who Thor guessed was their commander, stepped forward and said, "Dismount and approach...bzzt."

He looked at Maddox and nodded, and Maddox bowed in return, then flew over to flank the man and watch the four men approaching. Thor, Trent, Drew, and Mikotaj stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the man, waiting for further instruction. At a wave of the commander's hand, four shinobee approached, swords drawn, and pointed them at each man's chest. Thor drew his axe in unison with his comrades, Mikotaj with his spear and Drew and Trent with their swords, and proceeded to gently push aside the shinobee weapons and bowed, who then returned the gesture. The shinobee commander nodded, impressed, then said, "Rise." The four warriors stood up straight and sheathed their weapons. The shinobee commander approached and introduced himself, "My name is Apis, I am the commander of the armies of Acowood, who are you...bzzt?"

Drew stepped forward, as he was the undisputed leader of the group. "My name is Drew Ferran, this is my brother Trent, my cousin Mikotaj, and our friend Thorbjorn Henriksson, or Thor for short," Drew said as he gestured to each in turn.

Apis nodded to each before asking, "Why have you come to our secret sanctuary...bzzt?" At this, Maddox spoke up and said, "They've come to see Father for information...bzzt."

Apis eyed the four suspiciously, but motioned for them to follow. Drew nodded to Maddox as they fell in line behind Apis. As they walked, Thor couldn't help but marvel at the ingenuity of the shinobee people. Their homes were made of beehives, with honeycomb coated with dried honey to make it all water resistant. What was even more marvelous though were the people. Each inhabitant buzzed around on their wings, set on their daily tasks, not even bothering to pay attention to the strange newcomers. "I thought only those of royal blood were therians?" asked Thor.

Apis looked over his shoulder at him. "You see, our bloodline was not watered down by breeding different species, our isolation has seen to that...bzzt. Therefore, without any watered down blood, our entire city is born a therian...bzzt," explained Apis. As he finished, they neared the large, central hive, which a pair of shinobee opened the large honeycomb doors to. Thor gasped. The inside of the hives was even more beautiful than the outside, with the entire room being bathed in rich golden light, and decorated with dried honey sculptures and polished honeycomb furniture, all surrounding a golden, pure honey throne on which sat a regal-looking shinobee with streaks of gray in his hair. Thor could only assume this was the king of the shinobee, judging from the honeycomb crown on his head. Apis led them down a white carpet that stopped in front of the throne, then he kneeled and the five others followed suit. The regal shinobee stood and smiled warmly. He opened his arms and said, "Welcome home my son."

 _ **Let me know you guys' feedback, I'm open to suggestions! I have most of the plot worked out, but if anyone has any detailed suggestions on what should happen in the immediate future, I'd be happy to hear them!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WEREWORLD OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS**

 **Chapter 6**

The three therians and the Wolf Knight immediately snapped their heads towards Maddox. Maddox simply smiled and spread his hand apologetically. "You simply didn't ask...bzzt." With that, he turned and approached his father and embraced him warmly. When they parted, his father looked at him quizzically.

"You return from your hunt not with food, but with strangers," said the king. Maddox nodded and turned towards his companions.

"This is Drew, his brother Trent, cousin Mikotaj, and this is Thor, whom I now owe a life debt to...bzzt" said Maddox, gesturing to each as he spoke, who in turn bowed. The king's eyes rose a bit at the last statement. "Indeed? Let me introduce myself then, I am King Katsubuzz of Acowood, and I would like to extend my utmost gratitude for the safe return of my son." Katsubuzz proceeded to bow.

Thor stepped forward and said, "Forgive me your Grace, but thanks are not necessary, and neither is the life debt, I was simply helping against a common enemy, the savage Wyldermen."

The king gave a small smile. "That may be, but it is the custom of my people that my son may no longer leave your side until his own death," this evidently caused the king great pain to say, as he lowered his head in sadness. After a few awkward seconds of silence, raised his head again and said, "Ah, forgive me for sulking, would my guests like to join me for a midday meal? I'm sure your journey here couldn't have been easy." The four guests enthusiastically accepted the king's offer. He motioned for them to follow and called over his shoulder at Apis, "Have the guest's rooms prepared and baths drawn while we eat."

With that, the general bowed and quickly strode away. As the king led their way through the giant hive, it was evident that it looked smaller from the outside, for there was no shortage of space inside. Granted, it wasn't nearly as big as the three hundred foot tree in the center of Brackenholme, but it definitely was impressive in its own right. They stopped in front of a large honeycomb door which was pushed open by two shinobee guards and revealed a sight more beautiful than the sunset in Autumn: food. Thor's as well as the others' stomachs were growling uncontrollably. The room was full of food, all of it set on a long, low table in the center of the room, with small cushions surrounding it. Katsubuzz strode to the head of the table and proceeded to sit cross-legged on top of it. The five others followed suit.

With a small wave, the king signaled that it was fit to begin. Trent, Drew, Thor, and Mikotaj immediately went for the closest bit of meat they could find and piled their plates wit as much as they could find, mixing in the occasional vegetable just so they didn't seem rude to their host. Thor's first thought when he took a bite was how sweet it was. It was deer meat, but it was coated in honey, as everything seemed to be in Acowood. The flavor was pleasant, yet unexpected and Thor eagerly embraced it.

After a few minutes of silence as the men ate, the king finally spoke up. "So my son tells me that you have come here for information. Tell me how I can be of assistance." Drew wiped his mouth with a nearby cloth.

"Well, your Grace, some days ago we tracked a group of Wyld Wolves...perversions of Werewolves concocted by the Wylderman shaman Darkheart...to a cave where we overheard them praying to someone they called the Serpent Mother. At first thought, we assumed Vala, yet the statue they were praying to had wings and legs, so we ruled her out. After we killed the Wolves, we returned to Brackenholme to try and learn of this Serpent Mother, but the only book we could find said she was extremely dangerous, visit Acowood for more detail. So here we are."

The king nodded gravely before speaking, "The Serpent Mother is not something one speaks of at nice gatherings such as these. I urge you to rest and I will tell you everything you desire in the morning. Maddox, show them to their rooms." Maddox rose and bade the others follow.

They got up and followed Maddox out the same door they came, Thor stealing a glance back at Katsubuzz, who seemed to be lost in thought. Maddox led them down another golden corridor before they came upon a set of 8 doors, four on either side of the hallway, which dead ended just past the last doors. "These are your rooms, the four closest to the wall...bzzt. You will find a hot bath and fresh clothes inside each...bzzt. I take my leave...bzzt." With that, Maddox bowed and strode back down the hall. The four looked at each other and shrugged before entering their separate rooms.

Again, everything was the golden color of honey except the bath water, which was still steamy. Thor quickly stripped down and jumped in, the hot water relaxing his muscles after the past few days of riding and fighting. When he got out, he found a fresh set of linens on the bed, putting those on, as well as his boots before exiting his room and walking to Drew's door. When he knocked, he heard the Wolflord moving around inside before he finally opened the door.

"Ah, Thor, come in," he said. Thor nodded and entered, seating himself in one of the chairs in a corner, while Drew sat on the bed. "What's up?," he asked, looking at Thor, seeming concerned.

"It's just...what do you think we've gotten ourselves into? I mean the king looked like he was almost afraid to even talk about this Serpent Mother, yet we're going to look for her anyways?" asked Thor.

Drew chuckled. "Believe me, I know. I'm just too stubborn to admit that I might be in over my head," laughed Drew.

At that, Trent opened the door, followed by Mikotaj. As he walked towards them, he asked, "What's with this laughter?"

Drew shook his head with a smirk. "Just talking about how foolhardy we are," he said.

Mikotaj chuckled to himself, "That you are Drew Ferran."

Drew looked awestruck. "Was that a laugh Mikotaj?"

Mikotaj stuck his chin out proudly. "Of course not, i was merely clearing my throat."

The other three roared with laughter, they had never heard Mikotaj laugh before. They sat in Drew's room, contemplating the events of the day, as well as trying to lighten the mood with a little humor, before supper was delivered to the room by Maddox, who joined the conversation from then until they each went to their separate beds. Thor greatly appreciated the soft mattress, as he had not slept on a proper bed since the day they left Brackenholme. As he drifted off, he was filled with thought about what could be so terrible about this Serpent Mother until finally he fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

* * *

Thor awoke to rays of bright sunshine coming through the window. He sat up in bed, still a little groggy, before getting dressed and exiting the room. He walked out at the same time as Trent, and together they proceeded down the hall back towards the dining room. As they neared, they were enticed with the delicious smell of honey and meat, which they assumed were cooked together, and they were right. Hardly saying anything, the two happily dug in to their respective breakfasts before they were joined by Drew, Mikotaj, and Maddox one by one.

As if on cue, when all of them had finished, Apis appeared at the door and bowed. "King Katsubuzz awaits you...bzzt." They rose to follow Apis, and he led them to a large library, where Katsubuzz was seated, poring over a large, ancient-looking book.

As they approached, he looked up and smiled, "Ah, my friends, have a seat, please." He gestured to the chairs in front of him.

They seated themselves and Drew spoke up, "Forgive me your Grace, but could you tell us what we came here to learn?"

The king nodded, "Yes, Drew Ferran, son of Wergar."

At Drew's astonished expression the king chuckled. "What? You assumed that since we isolate ourselves from the world means that we do not know what goes on around us? No, I know who you are Drew, and how you saved Lyssia."

The king then sighed. "But, I suppose I am obligated to tell you what you came here to know, so I will tell you indeed. But to tell you, I must take you back hundreds of years, when my ancestors were numerous, and spread across the world. The Serpent Mother was our greatest enemy in history. She is called the Serpent Mother, but her real name is Aevi, the Weredragon. This is why she had wings in the statue you saw. I am willing to bet that Vala is some distant descendant of her, though I am not certain. Anyway, in her time, Aevi was the empress of a great and terrible Empire, even stretching over Lyssia. However, her capital was west of here, far past the Cluster Isles, past what is known as the White Sea. Sailors no longer know of its existence, but far west lies the continent of Isax, home of the Dinolords. There, Aevi's empire was strongest, and was kept in order by the Raptorlords, her swiftest and most numerous subjects. But all did not go as she had planned, for an uprising began in Lyssia, led by a Bearlord, and backed by my kinsmen, who were not yet shinobee, for we earned our name during this war, when we led many subterfuge missions. This rebellion became so much of an annoyance for Aevi that she came to the shores of Lyssia herself, backed by her Raptorlord army, and a great battle ensued in what is now known as the Badlands. In this battle, so many of my kinsmen were slain, that in the aftermath, we founded the very city that you now sit in. Anyways, during this battle, the Bearlord, leader of the rebellion, and his vanguard, a Boar, Wolf, Hawk, Crow, Whale, Shark, Jackal, Hyena, Horse, Bull, Ram, Stag, Bee, and Fox all met the great Aevi. A fierce brawl began and most of the vanguard was slain until the Bearlord delivered a mortal wound with his legendary battleaxe, Stormedge. Aevi's army was routed by this, and she fled with the rest of her army back across the White Sea, and she died en route back to Isax, her remains being buried, waiting until the day when she would be reawoken, which is what these Wyld Wolves seem to want to do now."

Thor, Drew, Trent, Mikotaj, and Maddox sat there in stunned silence, trying to absorb all that Katsubuzz had told them. Thor finally spoke up, "What happened to the Werelords left after the rebellion?"

The king replied, "Ah, you see the survivors, and the sons of the dead Werelords became the ancient therian houses that you all now know."

Drew looked at the king curiously. "Wait, if the Bearlord led the rebellion, then how did the Wolves get their own dynasty?" he asked.

"The Bearlord simply did not want the role of the kingship, much like you, Drew. He retreated to his home of Icegarden, where the White Bears had remained in power for hundreds of years, and is partly the reason they enjoyed more independence than most of the other Houses."

Now Trent seemed to have a question. "What of the axe, Stormedge? Where is it now?" he asked.

The king spread his hands. "No one knows, and it is not in any records we have here, though I suspect the Icegarden records would have some mention of it. Unfortunately, we cannot get there to research it, as Icegarden is still overrun with the undead."

Thor cursed under his breath, as the king's last statement had opened a wound. He was supposed to be seated in Icegarden, ruling his ever since his Father, Duke Henrik, had been murdered underhandedly after his great victory over Onyx, the great Beast of Bast. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked over at Drew. "I know what you're thinking, but don't worry, I promise I'll help you get your home back."

The king seemed puzzled by this. "Home?" Thor looked up and nodded. "Icegarden is my childhood home."

The king raised his eyebrows. "Pray tell how?" he asked.

Mikotaj spoke up at this, "Thorbjorn here is the son of the late Duke Henrik, and the rightful ruler of Icegarden."

At this the king leaned forward in his chair. "Indeed? Perhaps the blood of the ancient Bearlord Ragnar is in you, then. In any case, the Wyld Wolves' attempts at reviving Aevi are very alarming."

Drew nodded gravely before asking, "But how do we stop them?"

Katsubuzz looked at him very seriously. "My boy, I'm afraid you're going to have to sail to Isax and seek the help of the Dinolords."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"I had no idea the Wyld Wolves would even attempt something of this magnitude," said Duke Bergan, the Lord of Brackenholme.

Drew had just finished explaining their predicament to him after their departure from Acowood, accompanied by Maddox, and their arrival in Brackenholme. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid the king was right, we have to go to Isax and face down this new threat," replied Drew. Bergan nodded, sadly agreeing with the Wolflord. After a few seconds of contemplation, the old bear looked up, a steely determination in his eye. "Then I'm coming with you. And don't try to stop me Drew, you know full well how stubborn a bear can be."

Drew opened his mouth then shut it quickly, thinking it better not to speak. Thor spoke up, "But what about Stormedge? How can we defeat a dragon without the weapon that was originally used to kill her?"

Bergan pondered this. "Well, I guess it's a good thing we have a magister as a prisoner then." The old bear rose and bade them follow. They walked down the same path that Drew had travelled almost daily before their departure and arrived at the same door as he did every day. Bergan took a set of keys from a nearby peg and proceeded to unlock the door. As it swung open, it revealed a young man poring over a book in one corner of the room. "Hector," said Drew.

The young magister's head snapped up at the sound of a voice. "Ah, another group visit," he said as the others filed into the room. His eyes fleeted over each one before resting on Maddox. "Who is this?" asked Hector.

Maddox allowed a small bow. "My name is Maddox, I am honored to meet you...bzzt."

Hector looked at Drew in confusion. "He's a werebee from Acowood," he explained. Hector's mouth formed in a silent O. "So what is it this time?" he asked. "We've come for more information. It's about an ancient battleaxe called Stormedge. We were wondering if you knew anything about its possible location," stated Bergan.

"Yes,I remember reading something about a weapon by that name, and a great deal about some dragon in one of the books I read during my tenure in Icegarden." As he said this, his eyes glanced at Thor, who looked away.

"Did it say anything about a location?" asked Trent. Hector spread his hands apologetically. "I didn't read much further than that, I dismissed the story as some fairy tale." Drew swore under his breath.

"If you could somehow get your hands on that book again, could you locate the axe?" asked Thor. Hector nodded."Possibly, though the book is still in the Icegarden libraries. I'd have to be there personally, and I'm sure none of you trust me that much to let me out of here, so we seem to be in a predicament."

* * *

"I hope none of us get our throats slit during the night," said Thor to Trent, who was riding next to him. Trent waved his hand dismissively. "He doesn't have a weapon, and he will never take watch, so I can't see him ever getting an opportunity," he replied.

"I still don't like it," said Thor as he looked over his shoulder at Hector, who was riding next to Drew.

They had departed Brackenholme that morning, and were currently travelling north along the Dymling Road until they would intersect the Great West Road, at which point they would turn East until they came upon the road to Icegarden. Bergan and Maddox were riding at the head of the column, both in deep conversation, as Bergan was eager to learn the customs and traditions of the shinobee. Then came Thor and Trent, followed by Drew and Hector, then lastly Mikotaj, eyes ever alert for imminent dangers. "You know, we're gonna pass through Hedgemoor, perhaps you could pay Lady Gretchen a visit," said Thor with a wink. Trent scoffed.

"Fat chance of that. She's probably still furious with me for leaving her to be with Drew," Trent replied. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you regardless," laughed Thor. Trent just grunted in reply, signaling the end of the conversation.

After a decent chunk of the day spent riding, the sun was lose to setting when the party stopped for the night. They ate a meal of dried meat, bread and cheese before they turned in, with Maddox taking the first watch.

Thor was awakened by Maddox when the moon was a third of the way through the sky, and he rose to sit in his position and begin his watch. After about an hour of watch, Thor noticed something strange. There were no more sounds of wildlife, just the gentle whistle of the wind. He quickly stood up and ran over to Mikotaj, shaking him awake.

"What?" he asked, looking at the moon, "It's not my time yet." Thor put a finger to his lips before whispering, "Listen."

Mikotaj listened for a moment. "I don't hear anything," he said. "Exactly," replied Thor. Mikotaj's eyes widened with realization. He quickly got up and grabbed his spear. The two of them proceeded to wake everyone, explaining the situation. They all quickly and quietly grabbed their weapons and vigilantly watched the woods around them. Nothing happened for several minutes until Thor heard a quick _thrum_ and turned just in time to block the incoming arrow with his axe.

"Ambush!" he cried. The other six quickly took cover and Thor followed suit. As soon as he ducked down, as if on cue, a hail of arrows came from one side of the camp, then another, then another.

"We're surrounded!" yelled Bergan.

"I can't see them!" replied Trent.

"How do we fight them? None of us have bows!" said Thor.

"Alright, I'm going to count to three, on three, we all change and charge in a separate direction, Hector, you stay here," said Drew. "Ready? One, two, three!"

All at once, the five therians and the Wolf Knight rose up out of their cover and charged. Two bears, two wolves, and a bee instantly appearing in place of the men they used to be. Thor roared as he approached the tree line, causing his foes to finally show themselves as they turned to run, but Thor was too fast. He beheaded two, ripped another man's arm off, and cut another in half before his enemies even turned around to fight. Thor realized that they were more Wyldermen, and he tore into them more ferocious than ever before, his pristine white fur shining in the moonlight as he fought. As he cut down the last one, he roared in triumph and was answered by three other roars, and swords clanging, which he guessed were Maddox and Trent. He cleaned his axe by wiping it with leaves and slowly began returning to camp, releasing the Bear as he did so. He stepped out of the trees at almost the same time as everyone else, and they met in their camp.

"Will we never be rid of these accursed Wyldermen?" asked Trent. "I haven't the faintest idea," replied Drew, grunting as he snapped off the shafts of two arrows that were embedded in his leather breastplate.

"They go through?" asked Bergan. Drew shook his head. "Good," said Bergan. "Anyone else hurt?" asked the old bear. Everyone shook their head no.

"I'm beginning to think the Wyldermen don't like us," said Mikotaj. Everyone else laughed at that, Mikotaj even allowing a small smile.

* * *

The next morning was uneventful, a light breakfast before a day of riding, during which, everyone was deep in conversation with another, Thor always avoiding Hector. The young magister frightened Thor, not to mention that he was the cause of his home now being overrun by the undead. The day went by uneventful, and they were riding again the next morning, expecting to reach Hedgemoor by noon. Sure enough, just as the sun was directly overhead, they glimpsed the ornate shrubbery, hedges, if you will, that surrounded the walls of Hedgemoor. As they approached the main gate, they were stopped by guards, but quickly let past when they saw Drew and Bergan.

As they made their way towards the castle through the city streets, Thor noticed Trent becoming more and more uneasy in his saddle, nervous sweat running down his brow. Thor laughed and said, "You'll be fine, she can't still be that mad."

At this, Drew turned around and looked at Thor, then he and Trent simultaneously said, "You don't know Gretchen." Drew laughed at this, but Trent remained uneasy as the castle gate drew near.

As they dismounted, stable boys came and took the horses, and the party of seven proceeded to enter the castle. Trent tried to hide himself behind Thor and Bergan, as they were the tallest and broadest of the group, each well over six feet tall. Seated on the throne in front of them was the fiery redheaded werefox, Lady Gretchen. Seemingly in deep conversation with her advisors, she immediately brightened when she looked up and saw her old friends Drew and Bergan. She rose off her throne and sprinted over, almost knocking the two over in the process of hugging them.

"Oh, I've missed you,"she said to the pair as they returned the hug. She turned to Mikotaj, Thor, and Maddox. "And who are they?" she asked.

"This is my cousin Mikotaj, Duke Henrik's son Thor, and Maddox," replied Drew.

A small cough was heard as Trent sheepishly stepped out from behind Thor. Gretchen's face immediately narrowed, clearly angry, and she marched straight up to Trent and looked him in the eyes before cracking a hard slap across his face. The others' eyes widened in surprise, then immediately widened more when Gretchen grabbed Trent by the head with both hands and planted a kiss on him. Trent even caught himself with his mouth hanging open after she released him. "Close your mouth you imbecile before you swallow a fly," said Gretchen. Trent immediately closed his mouth. She turned back to Bergan and Drew.

"To what do I owe the pleasure my friends?" she asked. "Well, we're really just passing through, and were wondering if you could accommodate us for a night?" asked Drew.

Gretchen looked a little crestfallen. "Only one night?" she asked, "Then we shall have a magnificent feast tonight to catch up on things and to celebrate your arrival." She motioned to some guards. "Have baths drawn, and three rooms rooms prepared for our guests." The guards nodded, bowed, and sped away.

"So, I assume that since you are just passing through, that you are all off on some grand adventure again?" asked Gretchen. Drew simply gave a toothy grin and said, "Ah, you know me Gretchen, just can't stay out of trouble."

She sighed. "That much I do know Drew Ferran." Thor sheepishly spoke up. "Um, why only three rooms?" he asked. Gretchen smirked. "Because this one," she pointed at Trent, "is coming with me." Trent paled at the statement and the others all laughed.

Thor made a mental note that Gretchen didn't even bother speaking to Hector. As the others were led to their rooms, they looked back at Trent, he had an expression that screamed help me all over his face as Gretchen dragged him away by the hand.

* * *

"What do you think she's doing to him?" asked Thor.

"Well, if I know Gretchen, which I do, she most likely yelled at him for like an hour before giving in and loving him again," laughed Drew.

"Or she just killed him outright," stated Bergan as the others laughed harder. They had been hanging out in one of the rooms, just relaxing from their hard journey when they heard a knock on the door.

When it was opened, they were greeted by two of Gretchen's men, with red fox emblems embroidered on their surcoats. "Forgive the interruption my lords, but we've been sent by Lady Gretchen to escort you all to the feast hall," one of the men said apologetically.

"Well, we'd better not keep the lady waiting, come on guys," said Drew. They proceeded to follow the men down the hall to a large feast hall with a long oak table with many chairs on either side. At the head of the table was Gretchen, and standing next to her, looking like a whipped dog, was Trent.

"Ah, come in everyone, have a seat and dig in!" she said, happily. It seemed like she had gotten her way with Trent after all. Everyone filed in the room and took chairs on the sides, with Trent to Gretchen's left, and Drew to her right.

As everyone began to dig in to the delicious feast of meat and fruits before them, Gretchen addressed everyone, "My apologies if I was rude earlier, but I had to deal with some personal matters that couldn't wait." As she said that, she glanced at Trent, who scratched the back of his neck and averted his eyes.

"It's alright Gretchen. To be honest, we really needed that down time, it's been a rough couple of weeks," said Drew. "Well, would you introduce me to these men again, I was somewhat preoccupied earlier?" asked Gretchen.

"Well, there's Mikotaj, my White Wolf cousin, then there's Thor, short for Thorbjorn, the last surviving White Bear, and then that's Maddox, he's a Werebee from Acowood," said Bergan, as everyone waved in turn.

"I didn't know White Wolves existed since the fall of Shadowhaven, it's a pleasure to meet you Mikotaj. And to you as well Thor, it's very nice to meet you, and I'm sorry for your losses. However, I've never heard of a Werebee before," said Gretchen quizzically.

"My race mostly keeps to themselves...bzzt. We are all forbidden to leave the Dyrewood...bzzt. In fact, I must be the first Werebee to ever set foot outside the forest in several decades...bzzt," replied Maddox.

"So how come you're here if it's forbidden?" asked Gretchen. Maddox looked at her sheepishly and said, "Well, I was out hunting one day and I got myself ambushed by a few Wyldermen...bzzt. Fortunately, Thor here burst through the trees and saved my life...bzzt. Now I owe him a life debt that he insists isn't necessary, but it is a law of my people...bzzt."

"Interesting," Gretchen replied with a bemused smirk at Thor.

"Hey, I've told him a million times he doesn't have to come, but I think all that honey has him missing a few brain cells," said Thor as everyone joined him in laughter. For a couple hours, the world seemed to melt away for Thor and the others as they laughed, ate and drank with old friends, taking away the weariness of the road. They all dismissed themselves one by one until only Trent, Drew, Gretchen, and Hector remained. Hector had sat as far away from Gretchen as possible, and hadn't laughed or said a word the entirety of dinner. Drew had taken note of this, and had come up with a plan. "Hey Trent, why don't we get some sparring in before bed? It would be good to sharpen our skills," asked Drew. Trent nodded, and proceeded to follow Drew towards the training yard. That left just Gretchen and Hector.

He tried to leave silently, but he hadn't gotten halfway to the door before he heard "Stay." He turned around to see Gretchen looking at him with tears in her eyes. "I have no words, Gretchen. You must think I'm some evil monster, and you'd probably be right. Honestly, I don't know my place in the world anymore," said Hector as tears began to form in his own eyes.

"I don't want your excuses, Hector, if you're even still the Hector I knew. I will never forgive you for all that you've done and the deaths you've caused. Especially Whitley's. Where Drew found it in his heart to spare your life after what you caused to happen to her is beyond me, but out of respect for him, I won't kill you myself, here and now," yelled Gretchen.

Hector just dropped his head and held it there, unwilling to meet Gretchen's stone cold gaze. "Now get out," he heard. Without looking up, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.


	8. Chapter 8

So, I'm aware that I haven't been active on this story much, as I keep forgetting that it even exists. However, this chapter is pretty eventful, and is easily the longest yet. I'm trying to write longer ones overall. Anyways, I'll do my best to make this story as great as possible, and any input from my readers would be greatly appreciated. Just leave a review if you have a suggestion. I already have the major plot details worked out, but smaller details have yet to be decided.

 **Chapter 8**

"You know, I kinda feel bad about leaving Hector alone in there with Gretchen," said Trent as he parried one of Drew's slashes.

Drew ceased his attack and leaned on his sword. "I know, but it had to happen, they needed to speak to each other, even if nothing good was said," replied Drew.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Trent as he got back into a defensive stance and motioned for Drew to continue. This continued for a few minutes until both were covered in a sheen of sweat and were forced to abandon their shirts, displaying the numerous scars each had. Trent was on the defensive for most of the fighting due to Drew's unorthodox gladiatorial style he learned in Scoria. He finally bested Trent with a feint that lead to a leg sweep. Trent looked up at the blunt sparring sword pointed up at him with disdain.

"You need to attack more, otherwise I'll just keep wearing down your defenses," stated Drew as he offered his hand to pull Trent up. As he rose, they both heard clapping. They turned to see Thor approaching. "Oh, hey Thor, couldn't sleep?" asked Trent.

Thor shook his head. "Nope, the sound of clashing metal kept me up so I figured I'd better come join in the fun. Except, I don't have a sword on me so I guess I gotta take you both down with my hands," he said with a grin.

"Pretty cocky for a fifteen year old kid, huh Trent?" asked Drew.

"Hey, I'm sixteen, my birthday was last week," said Thor with a laugh.

"Oh, well in that case, I guess we'd better oblige him, huh Drew?" said Trent. The Wolflord nodded. Thor took his shirt off and they began to circle each other. Even though Thor was only sixteen, he stood a massive six foot four, was still growing, and was as strong as one would expect a Bearlord to be. Needless to say, alone, the brothers would have been intimidated, but together they stood a much better chance.

Then, they both rushed Thor, hoping to catch him off guard from either side, but Thor was expecting that. He ran at Trent, who was to his left, and tackled him to the ground, pinning his arms beneath him. Then Drew jumped on his back and wrapped his arms under Thor's armpits, dragging him off of Trent. Thor pried Drew's arms apart, and used them to throw him at Trent. The both of them toppled to the ground in a tangle of limbs. They untangled themselves quickly, though, and turned to face Thor, who was breathing heavily from exertion. Giving him no time to rest, the brothers ran at him again, using a different strategy this time. Drew went first, sliding to take out Thor's legs, causing him to fall forward to the ground. That was when Trent pounced and pinned Thor's right arm behind his back, chicken winging him. However, Thor was too strong, and he rolled, right, freeing his left arm, which he used to put Trent in a reverse headlock before picking Drew up and doing the same.

"Say it," he said.

"Never!" they replied together, struggling in vain to free themselves.

"Say it!" Thor said again.

"UNCLE," the brothers yelled together, and Thor released them.

They both fell to the ground, gasping for air.

When they had finally caught their breath, they began to laugh. "Since when did you get so strong?" asked Drew inbetween laughing spurts.

Thor looked at him and said with a smile, "Um, hello? Bearlord."

Trent shrugged his shoulders and chuckled, as that did explain it. The three of them joked all the way back to their rooms before bidding each other good night.

* * *

Thor awoke to the rays of sunlight peeking through the gap in his curtain. He took that as his queue to rise, and got dressed. He seemed to be the first awake, and breakfast didn't seem to be ready yet, so he decided to take a walk through the hedge gardens that Hedgemoor was famous for. He felt so peaceful and at one with nature as he walked through the gardens that he was sorry to leave. When he walked back in the feast hall, his mouth watered at the scent of bacon. Others were awake now, his Uncle Bergan, Drew, and Maddox all were seated at the table, enjoying their meals and idle chatting. He fixed himself a plate and sat with them.

"I suppose you're right, we definitely need a few more swords if we're going to purge Icegarden completely," said Bergan.

"Well, fortunately, I made a few arrangements for that, and they should be meeting us on the road today. I'm not gonna say who, though, it's a surprise I think you'll enjoy," replied Drew."

"I'm intrigued," said Bergan, somewhat amused.

At that, they noticed Gretchen entering the hall. She sat at her usual place at the head of the table. "So you're all really leaving today?" she asked.

"Sadly, yes. We would stay longer, but we're somewhat pressed for time," said Drew.

"I wish I could go with you guys, but…." Gretchen began. "I know," said Drew.

* * *

"Trent, would you stop kissing her already? We need to go!" yelled Bergan. Trent didn't even stop, he just waved one hand at them, a universal 'screw you' as he didn't want to break it off. Drew took one long look at Trent, his eyes watering, and turned away, wiping his tears away before anyone but Thor noticed.

"I'll be waiting for you," said Gretchen. "I'll come back to you," replied Trent, as he saddled up. And with that, they were off again.

* * *

"So who is it we're supposed to be meeting?" asked Mikotaj.

"You'll see," was all Drew would say.

They had ridden for the better part of the morning before they stopped at a small stream to water the horses. Thor noticed Drew off by himself, he had seemed distant ever since earlier when he'd seen Trent with Gretchen. As Thor approached, Drew looked up from filling his water skin. "Hey Thor, what;s up?" he said.

"I'm not sure, you tell me," replied Thor.

"What do you mean?" asked Drew, confused.

"Ever since you saw Trent with Gretchen this morning, you've barely said a word, you rode at the back by yourself, and now you're over here alone, away from everyone, so what's wrong?" demanded Thor.

Drew sighed. "I guess there's no getting around it, I'm depressed because of how happy they were together," said Drew solemnly.

"What do you mean? You have feelings for Gretchen or something?" quizzed Thor.

"What? No, she's just a really close friend. No, I'm sad because that's what I wanted with Whitley, but now I know that I can never have it…," Drew trailed off.

Thor felt a pang of guilt for bringing out Drew's emotions like that. "I'm not going to pretend to know what it's like to lose someone you love that much, but I have lost people. We've all lost people, Drew. You've just gotta take the hits and keep moving forward, for their sake," said Thor.

Drew just nodded. Thor placed a hand on his shoulder, leaving it there for a second before turning to walk away.

"Thor," he heard. "Thank you, I needed that," said Drew.

Thor nodded and walked back to the others, and was happy to see Drew resume his usual place at the head of the party when they resumed their journey. They traveled until the sun was low on the horizon.

"Maybe we should stop for the night, Drew," advised Bergan. Drew glanced to his left and said "Follow me then."

He lead them into a clearing that, Thor was surprised to see, already had a small campsite in it, with two men huddled around a fire, cooking some rabbit. When they spotted Drew leading the party out of the trees towards them, they rose to greet him.

"It's about time, we were afraid you'd gotten lost," laughed one of them as they both removed their hoods, revealing Duke Manfred and Lord Reinhardt, the Stags of Stormdale.

"Wait, wait, wait, so you saved this guy's life and now he follows you around babbling about a life debt and that he'll never leave? Sounds like Reinhardt when he was just a young buck," laughed Manfred.

"I remember those days, he was always attached to your hooves by an invisible leash," chuckled Bergan.

"Alright guys, is all that embarrassing stuff really necessary?" asked Reinhardt.

Manfred pretended to think for a second. "Nope, but is sure as hell was funny," he said as everyone burst out laughing.

"Fuck you, Dad," said Reinhardt begrudgingly.

"Hey, watch your language, I may be old, but I can still kick your ass in an antler lock," threatened Manfred as everyone else continued to laugh.

* * *

"There it is...Icegarden," announced Bergan, as the city was just visibly over the snow-capped peaks.

Thor felt intense pain at that moment, fearing what he would find within its walls, yet feeling oddly calm due to the fact that he was home, no matter how much of a sorry state it was in. As they neared the immense, impregnable, icy walls of Strakenberg, the group grew quieter and quieter until there was nothing but silent vigil. They had left the horses earlier, preferring to go in armed and ready rather than be taken off guard while still on horseback. They approached the door to the Great Hall, and the nine of them stacked up on either side. Drew nodded at Bergan, and the old bear slowly pushed open the massive door, keeping his great battleaxe in front of him, ready for anything. They waited for a few seconds, but when nothing came out, Bergan shrugged, and Drew led the way in, brandishing Moonbrand and the White Fist of Icegarden. It was carnage. The Hall was exactly as Drew and Trent had left it, corpses and dead zombies strewn about, but no live ones anywhere to be seen.

"Where are they? Surely they didn't just disappear?" asked Trent.

"They didn't, I can feel them," said Hector, doing his best to mask the feelings in his face.

"Well that's reassuring," said Thor. All he wanted was to purge this place of evil and begin the restoration of his ancestral home, but he wasn't sure he was ready to rule his own people on his own. He'd always had Bergan or his father to lean on, but at some point , he was going to have to accept his responsibilities and step to the task. One thing at a time, though. First step, purge.

Thor heard a light whistle. He looked up, and Drew was motioning to two separate staircases, indicating that they should split up.

"Stay here, don't let him out of your sight," Drew said to Reinhardt, referring to Hector. Reinhardt nodded, and the Ferran brothers went to the left staircase with Mikotaj, while Thor and Maddox went right with Bergan and Manfred.

As they ascended the dark staircase, Thor became increasingly uneasy. From what Drew and Trent had told him, this place should be overrun by the undead, but they hadn't seen a single one yet. His glances at the others revealed that they too, were uneasy about the situation. When they reached the top of the staircase, it opened up into a massive, ornately decorated library...that was crawling with the undead.

"Back, back," whispered Bergan urgently. "The good news is, we found the library. The bad news is, we're in trouble," he said.

"We need to clear this place so Hector can find that axe," said Manfred.

 _This doesn't seem safe at all,_ Thor thought to himself.

"Just leave them to me...bzzt," said Maddox as he began his transformation into the Werebee. He grew two extra arms, sprouted a large thorax with a deadly stinger on the end, and coarse yellow and black hair all over his body, as well as a set of large, red insect eyes that seemed to bore into your soul. Not to mention the white, membrane-like wings he sprouted from his back. When his transformation was complete, he drew his dual katanas and flew into the library.

The others watched as Maddox seemed to dance through the air, every graceful movement seeming to take the head off of one of the undead. Immobilized by awe and envy, they almost didn't notice the group of zombies shuffling towards them. With roars and grunts, the two Bearlords and the Staglord let their beasts emerge and they charged in to assist Maddox. While Bergan and Thor cleaved them in two left and right with their massive battleaxes, Manfred would charge into a group with his antlers lowered and skewer half a dozen at a time before beheading them with his longsword. The library was so open and large, that by pushing in towards the center of the room, they had inadvertently gotten themselves surrounded by the seemingly never-ending masses of the undead. They were now fighting back to back with Maddox soaring overhead, each trusting the other to watch his back. Being forced on the defensive was hard when you couldn't give ground. Thor was fighting tooth and nail, axe and paw, to merely keep from being swept into the masses of the dead. Amidst all the chaos, they became aware of the sounds of fighting at the opposite end of the room. _It's about time they showed up,_ thought Thor. Drew, Trent, and Mikotaj had joined the fray from the opposite passageway. Almost naturally, the two groups gravitated together to form a six-man circle, and together they faced down the hordes of evil. Just when Thor was fixing to collapse from exhaustion, he became aware of the dwindling numbers of their enemy. They all fought with the last bits of their strength and Drew beheaded the last one with Moonbrand.

"You know," Drew said while panting, "maybe we should have brought a few more people."

"I tried to tell you, but you have the stubbornness of your father in you," replied Bergan.

"Well, I, for one, am exhausted," said Thor.

* * *

The end of the battle gave everyone a chance to take in the sights of the library. Enormous columns carved in the shape of bears were holding up the cave ceiling, their ice-white, stone-carved armor shining in the light of their torches. Thor remembered the lessons he'd had in this very room by the tutor his father, Duke Henrik, had assigned to Thor to prepare him to be his successor. Thor had never imagined he'd be thrust into the role at just sixteen. The Sturmish White Bears had always been one of the proudest therian families, and for them to be reduced so low was appalling, as they had always seemed invincible in their ice-capped mountain ranges and their adaptability to the cold, not to mention their stubbornness and indomitable wills.

As Thor wandered the deserted halls of the castle, all of his childhood memories came back to him one by one. When he entered his old chambers, he remembered the first time he had undergone the White Bear transformation. He'd woken up in the middle of the night covered in thick, white fur, paws, and massive teeth. He'd cried out in surprise and his father had burst in. Henrik simply smiled and changed into the Bear to show his son the normality of it. Passing his parents' chambers, he saw images of each of their faces, most of all, his father's face, smiling down at him. _I'll do my best to lead like you did,_ thought Thor. Finally, he descended back into the throne room and approached the white throne of the Bearlords. Thor sank to his knees in front of it and burst into tears. _I'm not ready, Father. I wish you were still here, I still need you,_ Thor yelled into his mind. Suddenly, he was filled with yet another memory of his father, this one from the day Henrik fought Onyx in single combat. In the large command tent, Bergan was putting Henrik's armor on him as he was speaking to Thor. " _If anything should happen to me today, my son, remember that you are a White Bear of Icegarden. There is nothing on this earth that can defeat an angry White Bear,"_ his father had said to him. Thor lifted his face and wiped the tears from his eyes. Silently, he placed one fist over his heart before turning and ascending the staircase once more.

* * *

"Ah, here it is," exclaimed Hector, who was poring over some ancient, centuries old tome. "It says _Those seeking Stormedge must first enter the vault through the heart of an inanimate guardian before facing three trials that only those Brenn deem worthy will pass,_ " he read.

"Well that's just great, we got all the way here and almost died fighting the undead just to get a riddle?" asked Trent.

"It seems that way...bzzt," replied Maddox.

"Well, let's analyze this first. The riddle is broken up into pieces. So Stormedge is in a vault, great. Next, the entrance to the vault lies in the heart of an inanimate guardian," Hector stated.

"Well what the hell does that mean then?" asked Mikotaj. Hector simply shrugged, obviously just as stumped as everyone else. They all sat like that for sometime, each posing some theories, but most didn't pan out to anything.

"Wait a minute. If the axe is in Icegarden itself, then we need to focus on that. What around here would be described as an inanimate guardian?" asked Thor. The others began to think on that for a minute.

"I wonder…," muttered Bergan, as he rose from his chair and strode over to one of the enormous, armored, white bear statues. He looked back at the group with one eyebrow raised. "Does this look like an inanimate guardian to you?"

"You may be on to something," replied Drew. Now, there were four statues in all, each carved into one of the columns that supported the ceiling. They split up, and began to scour every inch of their respective statues. Each statue was carved into the stone as if it was sitting in a chair. They had battleaxes laid across their legs, and their hands on the arms of the 'chair'. They wore ornately carved studded breastplates, but instead of the studs sticking out as they should, they were caved in on each statue. Thor noticed this, so he climbed into the lap of his statue and began inspecting the holes. When he came to one that would be directly over the bear's heart, he saw something in the hole. Without even thinking, he reached his hand in there and felt a cold, stone lever, which he pulled. They all heard a loud rumble, and the bear statue began to recede into the column, revealing a doorway in its chest.

"Huh, not bad," said Trent incredulously.

"Well I guess that's our way into the vault," said Reinhardt. Bergan nodded in agreement as Thor poked his head into the doorway.

He pulled back out and said "There's a staircase in here."

* * *

"Man, I'm getting tired of dark, creepy, winding staircases," said Drew, voicing everyone's exact thoughts. Just when Thor figured that it would never end, the staircase abruptly ended in a small room, with nothing but an empty stone pedestal. Hector walked over to it and placed the old book on it.

"The first trial: The trial of the mind," he read. "This trial will test the limits of one's mental strength and will. Only the most indomitable of wills will pass."

"Well, who wants the axe?" asked Trent.

Drew looked down at Moonbrand, then at the White Fist of Icegarden on his left hand. "I think I'm good," he chuckled. "What about you Trent?" he asked.

"I'm human, I don't think I'm meant for it, Mikotaj?" he asked.

"Axes aren't my thing," he yawned.

"Stags wouldn't look right with axes, count us out," stated Manfred while motioning to Reinhardt and himself.

"I guess that leaves me and you, Uncle Bergan. You take it," said Thor.

Bergan smiled and shook his head. "No, my boy, you take it, you're far younger than I am. And besides, with the White Fist permanently attached to Drew, the White Bears need a new family weapon, don't you think?" replied Bergan.

Thor grinned and put his hand behind his head. "Yeah, i guess you're right. So how do I begin these trials?" Thor asked Hector.

Hector motioned to a circle in the center of the room. "The book says you just sit inside this circle and close your eyes," said Hector. "You should know, though. The book says you may never wake up. Only your own mind can bring you back," he said.

"Well that's comforting," sighed Thor. He took a deep breath to steel himself for what was to come. Then, his mind made up, he stepped into the circle, sat down, and closed his eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

This chapter was tons of fun to write towards the end, and you guys will see why.

 **Diclaimer: I DO NOT OWN WEREWORLD OR ANY ASSOCIATED** **CHARACTERS**

 **Chapter 9**

"Thor, wake up! Time for breakfast," he heard Drew call through the door.

 _Where am I?_ thought Thor as he opened his eyes. _Is this Brackenholme? Was I dreaming that whole thing?_ he wondered.

The young Bearlord swung his legs over the massive bed and sat up. He rubbed his still droopy eyes before rising to get dressed. He pulled on a linen shirt and a pair of brown trousers before heading down the hallway. He entered the enormous, familiar Great Hall and sat at the table with Drew, and began to eat.

"You ready for the hunt today?" asked Drew.

Thor nodded his head and replied, "Yeah, but I'm worried that we might be ambushed by Wyldermen along the road."

Drew looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "Did someone put something in your bacon this morning? Wyldermen don't exist anymore, Thor. The last of them were wiped out centuries ago by Bergan's great grandfather or something," said Drew.

 _Something isn't right here,_ thought Thor. "So what are we hunting then?" he asked.

Drew chuckled. "Seriously, man, where is your head today? We've been planning this boar hunt for weeks," he said.

Thor laughed along with him. "Oh, yeah. I knew that, sorry," he said apologetically.

 _Definitely something wrong,_ he thought.

"Drew?" Thor heard a voice call. When he turned his head around, he couldn't believe his eyes. His cousin, Lady Whitley, was walking towards them in her usual tomboyish outfit. "I turned over but you weren't in bed. You're never up this early, what are you doing?" she asked as she walked towards them.

"Baby, I told you, me and Thor are hunting today," replied Drew.

Thor was still staring at Whitley, his mouth hanging open when Whitley looked at him. "Thor, what's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost," she asked.

Thor closed his mouth quickly and looked at her incredulously. "Whitley? You're alive?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course I'm alive," she said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"But Hector, he didn't kill you?" asked Thor.

Drew and Whitley shared a confused glance. "Who?" they asked.

Thor's eyes widened in surprise. "Um, the evil mage Blackhand? He didn't trap you and Gretchen with zombies in Icegarden?" asked Thor incredulously.

"Zombies? In Icegarden? Are you serious?" asked Drew. He laughed. "Your father would never stand for that. He'd take the White Fist and deal with them," he said.

"You sure you're feeling alright?" asked Whitley.

Thor nodded. "Of course, yeah, I just had a crazy dream," he said.

* * *

"Do we have a timetable on how long this is supposed to take?" asked Drew.

Hector shrugged. "The book just said he has to wake up on his own," he replied as they looked at Thor sitting cross-legged within the circle, eyes closed. "It's possible it could take minutes, hours, maybe even days, who knows," he said.

"It's a good thing we brought plenty of food with us, then," said Drew.

"You got that right," said Trent as he dug in to a piece of dried meat. "Should we really have put Thor through these trials? I mean, he may be the toughest kid I've ever known, but he is still just a sixteen year old kid," he said while chewing.

"Only one way to find out. He's gotta make it back on his own," said Drew.

* * *

 _So no zombies, my father's still alive, Whitley's still alive, and Hector doesn't exist? This sounds like paradise world,_ thought Thor to himself. _Wait, what was that part about my dad using the White Fist?_ Thought Thor as he looked at Drew. It was then he noticed that Drew still had his left hand. No stump, no White Fist, just a normal human hand.

"Hey Drew, how did the last war end? You know, the crazy one with all the Bastians that came over to help Leopold?" asked Thor.

"Bastians?" Drew looked confused. "What are you talking about? No one came to help Leopold, Thor. As I fought the rats, the chains holding up the drawbridge into the castle broke, so Bergan and Manfred charged in with their troops and killed Leopold theirselves. As for Lucas, I killed him myself when he kidnapped Gretchen," said Drew.

"That must have been one hell of a dream you had, Thor," said Whitley.

Thor rubbed his head with one hand and replied, "You have no idea."

Thor quickly stood and excused himself before retreating back to his room. _This is crazy. Nothing from my world ever happened in this one._ He began to pace the room. _I could just stay here forever,_ he thought to himself. _Wait, no. This is the trial, I have to get back to my own world,_ he realized. _Except I don't know how to do that,_ he sighed. _The vault! I could try sitting in the circle on this side,_ he thought.

"Thor, come on man, quit wasting time, we're losing precious morning hours that could be spent hunting!" he heard Drew call from outside the door. Thor stopped pacing, his mind made up, and quickly threw on some travel clothes before grabbing his axe and storming out of the room.

"It's about time. We've been planning this hunt for weeks and now we get a late start," scolded Drew.

"Listen, man, I don't have time for this, I have to get to Icegarden as soon as possible," said Thor.

"Woah, you can't just bail on me like that," said Drew. "What's so important in Icegarden?" he asked.

"It's a long story that I don't have time to explain, but it's an emergency," replied Thor as he stuffed leftover breakfast food into his pack for the road before leaving the Great Hall.

"Alright, I guess we can hunt some other time," said Drew as he followed Thor out of the room. As they boarded the lift that carries passengers up and down the Great Tree of Brackenholme, Thor turned to Drew and said "I'm not asking you to come."

Drew simply chuckled. "As if I need to be asked. You're like a brother to me, so I'm going with you," he said.

"Alright, fine," growled Thor.

As soon as the lift touched down, Thor burst out of the door and sprinted for the stables. Choosing the nearest horse, Thor began to saddle it as Drew did the same with Bravado. Then, signaling the guards at the gate, they rode through, on their way to Icegarden.

* * *

"I'm considering just slapping the bastard," said Manfred, looking at the immobile form of Thor.

"Seriously, we've been down in this cave for nearly a day and that fool still hasn't 'woken himself' or whatever he's supposed to do," said Mikotaj.

"If this keeps up for much longer, we may have to rotate a guard while the rest of us hang out above ground. Because eventually, we are going to run out of food and light," said Bergan.

"With his stubbornness, he'll pull through. After all, he is related to you, you old bear," said Drew, inciting laughter from the others as Bergan feigned mistreatment.

* * *

"So you mean to tell me that you've been transported into some dream world where everything that happened in your world didn't happen?" asked Drew as they trotted along the Dymling Road.

Thor nodded.

"Well, damn," Drew cursed.

"Tell me about it. The worst part is I'm not sure that I want to leave. I mean, everything here seems so peaceful. Back in my world, it's always death and chaos, we never get any breaks to be normal kids, always fighting in wars and solving other people's problems," Thor ranted.

"Sounds like hell," replied Drew. "So what am I like in this real world of yours?" he asked.

Thor thought for a minute. "Well, for starters, you refuse to die. You've been washed out to sea, chewed your own paw off, jumped out of buildings, fought five Ratlords at once, impaled, as well as a dozen other things. Not to mention you killed the world's most famous warrior in relatively single combat," he said with a chuckle.

"I sound like some hero from a fairy tale," laughed Drew, clearly in disbelief.

"No kidding, you're only a year older than me, but in my world, you're my idol," said Thor.

"Well, as glad as I am to hear that, we should probably stop to rest for the night, because Bravado here is tired," said Drew. That was when Thor noticed his own mount's tired state. They'd ridden from that morning through noon, well into the late afternoon, hardly stopping to relieve themselves.

"You're probably right," agreed Thor.

* * *

"Halt and state your business in Icegarden," announced a guard from atop the icy wall.

"I am Thorbjorn, son of Duke Henrik, and this is Drew Ferran," replied Thor.

The gates lurched open, and they proceeded into the courtyard. Thor had barely had time to dismount his horse before the doors of the Great Hall swung open with a crash. He turned just in time to see his father, Henrik, striding towards them. He was immense, taller than the brown cousins, near seven feet, considerably leaner, yet still incredibly strong. His white cloak flowing in the icy wind, he came to a halt in front of his son and looked down at him.

"You're home. We weren't expecting you back for weeks," said Henrik.

Thor was speechless, he hadn't seen his father since his body was left out in the snow after his murder at the hands of Lucas.

"Have you no words? Speak!" exclaimed Henrik.

Thor said nothing, he just stepped forward and pulled his father into a bear hug (literally haha). His father was slow to return the embrace, surprise etched on his face.

"Now what was that for?" he asked as Thor released him.

"I really missed you, Father," replied Thor.

"Missed me? The last time we saw eachother was two weeks ago you imbecile! That is hardly an amount of time to get choked up over," exclaimed Henrik.

"Ahem," Drew cleared his throat.

"And who is this, Thor?" asked Henrik.

"It's a great pleasure to meet you, my lord. I am Drew Ferran," said Drew.

"Ah, yes, I knew your father, a great man, and better warrior," praised Henrik.

"Thank you, sir, though I wish I'd have known him," said Drew.

"Well, you may have gotten to if not for my traitor of a cousin. Wergar was like a brother to me, and I will never forgive my cousin for the hand he played in your father's death," said Henrik.

"Bergan is like a father to me, my lord. I forgave him, you should consider it, too," said Drew.

"Hmph," was all Henrik had to say to that. "Thor, you still haven't answered my question. Why are you back?" asked Henrik.

* * *

"Alright, that's it, I'm snapping his ass out of this," said Trent as he rose from his seated position. He and Drew were on watch duty for that night.

"Trent, we have no idea of what will happen if you do that," Drew protested.

"I don't care, it's been a week and he hasn't eaten or drank anything, not even a single hair on his head has moved. I'm waking him up," said Trent. He walked towards the circle that Thor was in, but right when he was about to step into the circle, a wall of purple magical energy erected itself around the circle. Trent tried to step through it, but the wall resisted.

"Screw this," said Trent as he drew his sword and slashed at the wall. The wall completely absorbed the attack, and seemingly lashed out at Trent. There was a flash of purple light, and a blast threw Trent twenty feet across the room to slam into the cave wall.

"Ahahaha," laughed Drew, pointing at Trent.

Trent slowly rose and sat back down next to Drew, who was still laughing.

"You should've seen your face!" exclaimed Drew inbetween fits of laughter.

* * *

When Thor entered his chambers, the same ones he'd had as a child, it was exactly as he'd remembered in the real world. _This world has everyone I've ever lost still in it. Maybe I shouldn't go back,_ thought Thor. _No, I have to go back, the fate of Lyssia depends on it._

With that, he strode out of his room and down the long corridor that lead to the library. As soon as it opened up into the vast center of knowledge, he headed straight for the stone guardian where the entrance to the vault was. As he climbed onto the statue, he heard a voice from behind him, "And what are you doing now?"

Thor turned to see Drew. "You'll see," he replied as he pulled the lever, opening the doorway to the vault. "Come on," he said to Drew, who climbed up to follow him. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Thor proceeded towards the circle. When he neared it, he was suddenly thrown backwards, into the stone pedestal, and slumped to the ground, the impact having knocked all the breath from his lungs. When he finally regained his composure, he looked up to see Drew in wolf form, pointing Moonbrand at Thor's heart.

"You couldn't just leave well enough alone and stay in this world forever, now could you?" asked Drew. "Here, your friends are all alive, even your father, yet you still want to leave and go back to that pathetic horror world you came from," said Drew.

"It's not that I want to, it's that I have to," replied Thor as he rose. "You're not Drew, though, are you?" he asked.

"Very perceptive. No, I'm not Drew. I am the trial of the mind," it replied. "But I prefer this form to fight you in because it takes a toll on your psyche. If you attack me, all you see is your friend, which will make it harder for you," it stated, almost sounding smug, like a child that had gotten its way.

"Well, if it's a fight you want, then come and get it," replied Thor as he let the White Bear in. His skin sprouting pristine, white fur, growing paws the size of a man's head, and sprouting thick snout full of crushing teeth, he drew his battleaxe and got into a ready stance.

The two stared eachother down, determination showing in Thor's eyes, while satisfaction shone in 'Drew's'. Then, without warning, 'Drew' covered the distance between them in a single bound, and swung Moonbrand in a backhanded, horizontal slash that Thor blocked with the shaft of his axe in his right hand before using his left to bear slap 'Drew'. He stumbled from the impact, but regained his balance and growled angrily at Thor, who simply slipped into another ready stance.

* * *

"I'm seriously afraid Thor's never going to wake up, it's been two weeks, Drew," said Trent.

"I know, me too, but we need to believe in him, he'll find his way back," replied Drew.

No sooner had Drew finished his sentence than they heard a fierce growl from Thor's direction. Looking up at him, they saw he was in Bear form, a determined look almost set in stone on his face.

* * *

As Thor parried yet another strike from 'Drew', he silently thanked Brenn that this Drew had never gone to Scoria, or even fought in a war, otherwise he would be nearly unbeatable with Moonbrand. As the fight went on, he found himself on the defensive from the more aggressive nature of the Wolf. He blocked a downward swing from 'Drew' that caused them to get into a weapon lock. This was Thor's chance, as he used the vastly superior strength of the Bear to push 'Drew' back into one corner of the cavern. However, as their faces inched closer and closer as the space became more confined, without warning, 'Drew' lunged forward, his mouth open, aiming to bite Thor's neck. Thor reacted just quickly enough to be able to put one of his paws in the path of 'Drew's' massive jaws, which clamped down on Thor's paw, causing blood to flow.

* * *

"Well, I suppose while we have the vast knowledge of the White Bears at our disposal, we should delve as deep as possible to see if we can find anything that will put us at an advantage against this Weredragon," said Bergan.

They were sitting around the library, discussing their possible next moves if Thor never woke from his trial when Trent suddenly burst out of the doorway and yelled "You guys need to get down here, now!"

One by one, they all raced down the staircase, following Trent, who was sprinting like a madman. They arrived at the cavern, and Trent lead them over towards the circle and pointed towards it.

"Something's happening to Thor," he said.

He was right. Thor was in Bear form, and his face was a mask of pain and determination, and he was sweating profusely.

* * *

 _Well this hurts like hell,_ thought Thor, as 'Drew' was still clamped down on his paw. He was struggling, with 'Drew's' mouth attached to one paw, while the other was still using his axe to fend off Moonbrand. _I guess I have no choice, then,_ he thought. Using the paw that was clamped in 'Drew's' mouth, he wrapped it around the Wolf's bottom jaw and began to squeeze. The result was gruesome, the crunch of bone, followed by the spurting of blood as 'Drew' pulled back, trying to free himself from Thor's grasp, but he ended up pulling too hard, and with a sickening crunch, the entirety of his bottom jaw was ripped off, dangling in Thor's bloody hand. 'Drew' quickly disengaged, and tried to howl from the excruciating pain, but all that came out was an awkward gurgle, as he was practically choking on his own blood. Taking pity on the helpless beast before him, Thor spun to free his axe, and separated 'Drew's' head from his shoulders. _I haven't been this drained since the final battle of the war,_ thought Thor, as he collapsed from sheer exhaustion.

* * *

"Thor! Thor, wake up buddy, come on," pleaded Drew as held Thor in his arms and slapped him to try and jolt him awake.

"What happened?" asked Trent.

"I don't know, that weird purple wall just disappeared and Thor fell over so I ran in," replied Drew.

Groggily, Thor began to open his eyes. "Whe-where am I?" he asked.

"Oh, thank Brenn, he's alive!" exclaimed Bergan as he kneeled to help Drew get Thor up.

"You're back in the vault, you just woke up from your trial," said Trent.

"And a good thing you did...bzzt. Otherwise, I'd be serving a life debt to a corpse...bzzt," said Maddox, which drew laughter from everyone except Mikotaj, who had a confused expression.

"Man, I had the craziest dream, you guys," said Thor as Drew and Bergan helped him stand. "And why am I so stiff?" he asked.

"Dude, you were sitting there for two weeks," said Trent.

"That definitely explains why I'm so hungry," replied Thor with a laugh.

* * *

"Oh, come on, is it so hard to believe that I could beat Drew in a fight?" exclaimed Thor. He had just finished telling them the entire story as they ate a fire-cooked meal, with Thor completely stuffing himself to the absolute limit.

"Yes, it really is," replied Mikotaj.

"No, seriously, this version of Drew was a complete wimp. He'd never been a gladiator, and he'd never fought in a war, oh, and he still had Whitley," said Thor.

"What?" asked Drew quietly.

"Yeah man, Whitley was still alive and you were this weird, loving, weak, emotional guy, nothing like you are now-" Thor was silenced by the hardest punch he'd ever taken, as Drew had changed into the Wolf and decked him so fast it hadn't even registered in Thor's brain yet.

"SO APPARENTLY HAVING SOMEONE YOU LOVE MAKES YOU WEAK AND EMOTIONAL? YOU DON'T THINK I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING JUST TO HOLD HER AGAIN?" screamed Drew as Bergan, Mikotaj, and Manfred, all in their beast forms, were struggling to hold Drew back.

Thor pushed himself up. "I didn't mean it like that, Drew, come on," he pleaded.

Drew shoved the others off of him. "No, you want to see just how weak I really am? I'll show you then," he said as he lunged at Thor again. This time, Thor was ready. He let the Bear in, grabbed the White Fist, and used Drew's own momentum to slam him to the ground, then pinned his arms beneath Thor's knees.

"Get off me, you bastard, and fight me like a man," growled Drew.

"Drew, calm down, I didn't mean it like that, you know me, we're brothers man," Thor pleaded.

"No, a brother wouldn't say that to me. You even left her out of your story the first time around. Why?" Drew demanded.

"I left Whitley out of the story because you two were so happy together in dream world, that I knew if I ever talked about it to you, it would send you into deeper depression than you already are, because what they had, you will never," Thor explained, apologetically. "Look, I'll always be one of your brothers, even if we don't share blood, and I'm sorry, Drew," said Thor as he got off of Drew and offered a hand to help him up.

Drew looked at the hand with contempt, and elected to help himself up, releasing the Wolf as he did so. Without a word, he turned on his heel and stalked away.

 _ **I like the friction I've created between Thor and Drew, and I'm interested to see how it will play out in future chapters.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WEREWORLD OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS**

 **Chapter 10**

Thor emerged from the staircase in time to see Drew descend into the Great Hall. "Drew!" called Thor as he ran after him. When he reached the Great Hall, he saw Drew throw open the massive doors and step out into the frosty night.

Thor found Drew in the stables, saddling Bravado. "Drew, would you just stop, for one second? Please?" Thor asked.

"I have nothing to say to you," replied Drew.

"Then don't say anything, just listen. You know you're like a brother to me. I would never intentionally say those things I said back there," Thor explained. "So please, don't leave. We need your help on this thing," Thor said.

Drew studied Thor for a second, his eyes cold and full of anger. "I'll be in Highcliff. Finish getting that fucking axe without me," Drew said as he mounted Bravado and galloped off.

Thor watched him go. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Shit."

* * *

"You know, amidst all that celebrating and the fight between Thor and Drew, it never occurred to me that he still has two more trials to go through," said Hector.

Bergan nodded gravely. "Do we know how to start the second trial?" the old bear asked.

"I assume we go through that stone doorway there," Hector replied.

"Um, when did that get there?" asked Trent, suddenly wary of their current situation.

"It opened by itself when Thor woke up," Hector said matter-of-factly.

"Neat...bzzt," Maddox said.

By this time, Thor had just re-entered the cave from the staircase. The others turned to look at him, most of them with quizzical looks on their faces. "Where's Drew?" asked Mikotaj.

"He left. He said he'll be waiting for us in Highcliff," Thor replied solemnly.

"Poor guy. He may never be truly happy again," said Trent.

"Well, I completed one trial, how do we start the next one?" Thor asked.

"After you," Hector said as he motioned towards the stone doorway.

Thor grabbed his axe and strapped his armor back on, the others all doing the same, before they followed him through the doorway.

What they saw on the other side was nothing short of magnificent. It was a cavern at least ten times larger than the adjacent one they'd come from. Circling the entire border of the room, except for the door they'd come in and its opposite across the room, was a set of stone benches, almost like spectator seating. In the center of the room was another circle, this one much bigger, however, and it was bordered by two semicircular pits, separated by two small stone bridges that served as a way in and out of the circle, one on either side. As Thor approached, he could see that the bottoms of the pits had numerous deadly stalagmites pointing straight up at them. _Well this doesn't bode well for me,_ thought Thor as he slowly backed away from the edge.

"Who dares enter my battle arena?" boomed a deep, male voice. Thor turned, and saw an extremely tall man standing on the stone bridge that lead into the circle.

Trent looked at Thor before jerking his head at the giant before them.

As Thor approached the man, he began to study him. He had a bushy, white beard, and his long, white hair was tied back into a ponytail. He was shirtless, and his torso rippled with muscles. His arms were as thick around as Thor's waist, and his legs had no shortage of muscle either. In his eyes, you could see deep sadness and guilt, the look that only comes from a true warrior.

"I am Thorbjorn Henriksson, rightful ruler of Icegarden, may I ask who you are?" said Thor. As he said this, however, he noticed something, the man was transparent. It was hard to notice, but Thor could make out the details of objects behind the massive individual.

"I am Ragnar Odinsson, Keeper of Stormedge. Why have you come here, Thorbjorn Henriksson?" the man boomed.

Everyone's eyes widened at the news. "Ragnar Odinsson? As in the Ragnar who lead the first rebellion against Aevi's empire?" asked Hector.

Ragnar grunted affirmative. "Indeed. Now, do not make me ask again, why have you come here?" he asked.

"We seek the axe Stormedge. We desire to use its power to once again defeat the Weredragon Aevi," replied Thor, doing his best not to feel intimidated.

"Ah, so you are the one who Loki was babbling on about," said Ragnar.

Thor shared confused glances with the others. "Who?" he asked.

"My brother, Loki. He was your overseer for the trial of the Mind. He was who fought you in the form of your friend. I, on the other hand, am the overseer for the trial of the Body, and my father, Odin, is the overseer for the trial of the Spirit," Ragnar explained.

Thor's mouth formed a silent O. Ragnar growled. "Wipe that idiotic look off your face, and prepare yourself for combat," he said as he turned to step into the arena.

Thor glanced back at the others. Trent gave him a thumbs up, and Maddox just shrugged. Sighing, Thor followed Ragnar to the center of the circle.

"So who am I fighting in this trial?" Thor asked.

"Me, of course," replied Ragnar irritatedly.

Thor blanched. _I'm gonna die,_ he thought to himself. After all, this was THE Ragnar. The one who Werebears throughout every generation worshipped as a deity. It was said he was the greatest warrior the Seven Realms had ever seen.

As if on cue, a battleaxe appeared in Ragnar's hand, as if it had come out of thin air, and he began to change. As if his already eight foot tall form wasn't enough already, as he grew to accommodate the Bear, he reached well over ten feet tall.

"What are you waiting for, boy? Are you not a therian?" Ragnar asked, clearly agitated. Now he finally understood the meaning of Ragnar the Wrathful. Dreading the coming moments, Thor reluctantly let the Bear in and drew his axe.

No sooner had he completed his transformation than Ragnar charged him. He was so incredibly fast, that Thor barely had time to use the flat of his double-bladed axe to block the swing aimed for his head. The force of the blow was so overwhelming, that Thor was thrown back several feet, fairly close to the edge of the circle. When he rose, it gave him time to size up the situation. Ragnar was the biggest, strongest, fastest opponent Thor had ever faced. First, he was still dwarfed by the ancient Werebear by over three feet, as Thor stood at almost eight feet in full Bear form to Ragnar's eleven. Second, Ragnar's incredible mix of speed and strength. _No wonder this guy's a legend,_ thought Thor.

Thor readied himself for the impending onslaught, and the ancient Bear did not disappoint. He lunged at Thor with the speed of a viper, whirling his axe around, laughing like a madman. It was all Thor could do to keep from being split in two by the powerful strikes.

Thor saw the axe descending yet again, and he raised his own to meet it. The two weapons locked together, and Thor stared up at his opponent with grim determination. Ragnar simply grinned at him. Before Thor had a chance to wonder why, he was cracked across the face by Ragnar's left paw, sending his axe spinning out of his grasp as he was sent flying from the force. He didn't even have time to regain his breath before a powerful hand picked him up and tossed him to the other side of the circle. Thor crumpled to the ground, desperately trying to get air back into his lungs. Fortunately, he'd landed next to his battleaxe, so he grabbed it, using it to push himself up from the ground.

"Thor, what the hell are you doing? You're getting your ass kicked!" he heard from the spectators' seats behind. He glanced back to see all of his friends watching the fight with great worry and interest.

"I think I can figure that out on my own," he called back.

He turned back towards Ragnar, who had clearly gone berserk. "I'm sorry, but I just can't hold back anymore! I haven't had this much fun in millennia!" he screamed in a high pitch voice, further adding to his mad persona.

"Thor, you need to go on the offensive, if you stay on the defense, he'll just wear you down and kill you," called Bergan from behind.

Thor nodded, not daring to take his eyes off Ragnar, the speed of his attacks was so great. This time, when Ragnar lunged, Thor lunged back, meeting the ancient Bear in the center of the circle, each struggling for dominance, using all of their brute strength. Ragnar was still far stronger, so Thor's feet began to slide. As he gave ground, he sidestepped, dropped his axe, and grabbed hold of Ragnar's axe before hitting the enormous Bear with a left hook to the jaw, which loosened his grip on the axe. Thor took advantage of that, and ripped it out of the giant White Bear's grasp. He then recovered his own axe as the ancient Bear staggered from Thor's punch.

"Not bad," chuckled the ancient Bear. "But it'll take a lot more than that to take me down."

Thor was ready for Ragnar's attack this time, and set his now dual axes to work. The massive Bear was defenseless for a few seconds, as he couldn't defend himself barehanded against an onslaught of two battleaxes. Or so Thor thought. Ragnar caught one of the axe blades between his paws and ripped it from Thor's grasp, before delivering a punishing blow to Thor's shoulder, splitting his collarbone, the extremely durable Sturmish steel finding no resistance in Thor's body. He roared in agony and swung his remaining battleaxe at Ragnar's forearm, severing it at the elbow, blood spurting from the wound as well as the numerous other places on his body where Thor's axes had struck, staining the pristine white fur a dark maroon.

Thor took this brief respite to examine himself. He removed the axe from his shoulder and tossed it aside. Blood was gushing from the wound, flowing down Thor's body, like a waterfall of blood down his torso. _I need to end this quick, otherwise I'll bleed to death in some cave,_ he thought.

His entire upper left torso was completely useless, leaving him with only one arm to fight with, the same as his opponent. As fast as his legs could carry him, which wasn't very fast at all, he rushed Ragnar, hoping for a quick end to their battle.

"Hoping to finish me quickly, are you? That's not going to happen!" Ragnar said as he knocked Thor's exhausted, clumsy swing aside before smashing him in the face with the stump of his right arm. Thor fell back yet again, dangerously close to the edge of the pit, the stalagmites below eagerly awaiting the taste of blood. Thor looked up to see Ragnar in mid-air, leaping towards him, single paw raised for the killing blow. Channeling all of the remaining strength he had left into his powerful legs, Thor caught Ragnar with his feet and used his momentum to toss him over Thor's head and into the depths below. When he heard a sickening crunch, Thor couldn't even look due to the fact that he was losing consciousness from the amount of blood he had lost, which he was now laying in a puddle of. Thor drifted off, the last thing he heard the voices of the others shouting his name.

* * *

Thor shot awake when he felt a hard smack to the face from Bergan.

"What the hell was that for?" he demanded.

The old bear chuckled. "Just to wake you up."

"Wait, wasn't I dying like a few seconds ago?" Thor asked.

"Yeah man, it was pretty gruesome, Maddox almost started crying tears of honey," replied Trent as he slapped Maddox on the back.

"I am glad you are still breathing, Master Thor...bzzt," the young shinobee said.

"So how am I alive?" inquired Thor.

"I brought you back," a voice boomed. Thor looked over Bergan's shoulder to see the enormous form of Ragnar standing, unscathed, with his arms crossed.

"What do you mean you brought me back? And didn't I-"

"Kill me? Yes and no. I'm immortal, you see. I am resurrected in this vault each time I am defeated. I also have the power to bring back my opponents from death's door, as I have never fought an opponent I did not take down with me. In any case, defeating me was the trial of the Body, you are now ready for the trial of the Spirit," the massive Bear explained. "I must say, you are the most natural-born fighter I've ever come across, besides myself, of course."

Mikotaj scoffed. "You've never fought me, old Bear."

Ragnar turned to look down at Mikotaj. "Would you like me to?"

Mikotaj paled and quickly shook his head.

Ragnar roared with laughter. "I'm only kidding, relax, young Werewolf. I may be rather ill-tempered in the heat of battle, but not all the time," he said. "In any case, you have now completed two of the three trials. One more and you shall have the weapon I once wielded." Ragnar pointed towards a large, stone archway that had appeared on the opposite side of the circle that they'd entered from.

Thor stood and examined himself before anything else. He was no longer in Bear form, and all of the blood had disappeared from the ground, and his clothes and leather breastplate had even been returned to their original states. He proceeded to retrieve his axe, placing it through the loop on his belt before leading his companions through the great archway.

* * *

The next room was completely underwhelming, to say the least. Every single one of them had been expecting a cavern even larger than the one they'd just come from, but this one was much smaller even than the first cave. It was a low ceiling, maybe ten feet high, and the room itself was fairly small. Maybe fifty feet by thirty feet, Thor guessed. At the opposite end was a very old, wooden desk with a withered old man seated behind. Though his face was obscured by the brim of his wide hat, a clearly unkempt white beard was visible, as well as his old, gnarled fingers, which were grasping the shaft of a wooden spear. He had a raven on his left shoulder, and he was studying what looked to be a set of ancient runes made from the knucklebones of a bear.

Ragnar, now in human form, still over eight feet tall, shuffled past them and approached the old man. "Father Odin, I present Thorbjorn Henriksson, who has passed the first two trials, and his travelling companions."

Slowly, almost as if he were the embodiment of a tortoise, Odin raised his head, revealing his long, flowing white beard, and one silver eye that shone with wisdom, the other only an empty socket. Suddenly, Thor felt compelled to bow, so he did so, just as the others seemed to as well.

"Loki, show yourself," rasped Odin.

In a ripple of purple magical power, a tall, mischievous looking man, who was clean shaven, unlike his brother and father. He was dressed in lots of purple, had jet-black hair, and a grin on his face that seemed to say _I'm evil, but you don't know it._

"Yes, father?" he replied.

"Is it true that this man passed your test?" asked Odin.

Loki sighed rather theatrically. "Regrettably, yes. He definitely has the willpower to wield the axe."

"And you, Ragnar? Is it true that this man bested you in single combat?" Odin asked once more.

Ragnar hesitated. "Well...technically, he defeated me, but he died trying. I took him down with me like I did with that one other so long ago."

Hearing this, Odin trained his one silver eye upon Thor and seemed to study his very soul. "Indeed? So his mind and body are worthy. Now we must see if his spirit is as well."

He motioned with his left hand for Thor to approach. "Sit," Odin commanded.

Thor sat in the simple wooden chair opposite the elderly man, who, Thor noticed, was also slightly transparent, like his sons. "If I may, how have you become immortal?" he asked.

Odin chuckled, a bemused twinkle in his left eye. "We were tasked by Brenn over a thousand years ago to protect the legendary weapon Stormedge until there came a time when it would be needed again."

"And how is this trial of the Spirit supposed to go? Because I almost died in the first one, and I did die in the second one," Thor asked, clearly uneasy.

Thor heard a grunt behind him as Bergan stepped forward. "Excuse me, my lords, my name is-"

"We know who you are, Bergan of Brackenholme," said Odin, effectively cutting him off. "And i know why you speak. You wish to know if any further harm will come to the boy. Fear not, for if his soul is pure, he will not be damaged."

Odin extended a gnarled hand towards Thor. "Grasp me by the forearm and look me in the eye Thorbjorn Henriksson." Thor complied, and the instant he looked into Odin's silver eye, he felt as if he had left the ground. He looked around, and surrounding him was his entire life's memories all being played back before his eyes. As each memory sped past him, he felt every emotion as if he was experiencing them all over again. He saw his early life, running around the corridors of Icegarden. He saw the war camp of his father, the day that Lucas' Wyld Wolves had been set upon them. He replayed the entire duel between his father and Onyx, and the rage that beset him after he watched Henrik be beheaded was so intense that he almost let the Bear in. He saw every memory, the painful ones, the joyous ones, he saw him laughing with his friends, he saw the shedding of numerous tears, and all in all, he saw his life. When he'd reached the present, he felt a falling sensation, as if someone had dropped him out of the sky.

Thor opened his eyes at the sound of Odin's voice. "Interesting."

"What the hell was that?" asked Thor, uneasy.

"I went through your every memory alongside you, and felt every emotion you did," Odin replied.

"What in Brenn's name for?" Thor demanded.

"To try your spirit. To learn who you are and what emotions govern your actions. You are a very unique case, Thorbjorn Henriksson. You have experienced great loss, and it has caused you to be partially governed by anger. Yet, on the other hand, above all else, you desire to protect those that you care about, which is how you harness your rage."

"So, did I pass?"

Odin paused. "Yes. There are only two others besides yourself that have been worthy to wield Stormedge. First, my son Ragnar, here, who Brenn bestowed with it personally. Second, was a peculiar man who only had the desire to protect his people with it. Yet, there was darkness in his heart that was somehow hidden from my eye."

"What are you saying?" asked Trent from behind Thor.

"I'm saying that what you have come here seeking is no longer here. The man I speak of took it with him some decades ago. In his memories, I saw images of a voyage Westward, across the White Sea. His name was Razor, and he was a Raptorlord."


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WEREWORLD OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS**

 **Sorry for the wait, but this is the longest chapter to date. Unfortunately, it is mostly plot details and exposition, but there is a reward of some action again. Some of you were asking about Taboo and Opal, whether I might incorporate them into the story for Drew to once again be happy, and I honestly hadn't thought of that. My plan for Drew's character arc was completely different. Most of you will probably hate me for it, but Drew is not the hero of this story, in case it wasn't clear. Thor is the hero of the story. With that, I hope you all enjoy, and leave a review if you have any suggestions, or just to offer suport. I can take criticism very well, also.**

 **Chapter 11**

Thor looked at Odin in utter shock. _How did one of Aevi's minions manage to claim Stormedge?_ he asked himself. "How is that possible...bzzt? How could you let a Raptorlord claim the only weapon capable of destroying Aevi...bzzt? Demanded Maddox.

Odin simply chuckled. "It is not our place to judge those that seek the axe. We only try them, and if they pass all three trials, they gain the right to claim the axe."

"Father, it is possible that his memories and emotions were faked through dark magic. We could have been blind to his true intentions," said Ragnar.

Odin nodded. "This is true, though he is certainly dead by now, since that was over three hundred years ago."

"Well, that only means that his descendants now have possession of the axe," stated Bergan.

"So how are we supposed to get it?" asked Trent.

"I guess we have to do what King Katsubuzz suggested: travel to Isax and seek the help of the Dinolords. Surely some of them were against Aevi's reign?" Thor asked Odin.

"Indeed. Most of them, in fact. Only the Raptorlords, the Pteralords, and the Brontolords were on Aevi's side. The others were powerless to stop her only through sheer numbers of the Raptors, Pteras, and the brute strength of a few other therian houses," explained Odin.

"But we have to assume that the other Dinolords are still part of Aevi's empire since the Lyssian Rebellion didn't extend to the shores of Isax," said Manfred.

"Which means we could have some support from the oppressed Dinolords," said Thor.

"Well, if we're doing this, we need a ship, right?" asked Trent.

Thor smiled. "Drew's on it."

* * *

Drew hadn't been back here since leaving in pursuit of Lucas after he'd kidnapped Gretchen, so he was in awe of the changes that had taken place in his absence. The streets of Highcliff were vibrant, and full of life, not silent and afraid like they'd been under Leopold's reign. It seemed to be that Bo Carver and Reuben Fry had been busy with their new form of government. Drew had covered his face with a simple mask as he rode through the streets so that he wouldn't be recognized and mobbed. The markets of the Tall Quarter were hubs of activity, both sides of almost every street lined with multicolored shops and eateries, each with their best merchandise on display. He found his mouth watering at the many scents of various foods. As he approached the Harbor, he could see exactly what he was looking for: the Maelstrom in all its glory, docked about a hundred yards offshore. Drew dismounted outside the tavern closest to the docks and tethered his horse before entering.

He was met by a cloud of smoke and the stench of drunken sweat. The tavern had a low ceiling, with several circular wooden tables strewn about. As Drew scanned the room, he found who he was looking for in the furthest corner. The man was huddled in his buccaneer jacket, his long, gray hair and goatee peeking out from underneath his triangular shaped hat.

"You're a hard an to find, Eric," said Drew.

The old pirate, Captain Eric Ransome, raised his head to meet the gaze of the young wolf. He smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth, causing his swirling moustache to shift. "Drew Ferran, as I live and breathe. What brings you back to Highcliff?" he asked.

"Well, I need a ship to sail West, beyond the edge of the known world, and I figured you and the crew of the Maelstrom would be up for the job," stated Drew.

The old captain twirled his moustache between his fingertips as he seemed to ponder the idea. "Well, I can't very well turn down the Savior of Lyssia, now can I?" he asked cheerfully.

Drew shook his head. "No, it has to be of your own free will, even I don't have any idea of what to expect, and we may never come back," he said.

"Boy, you had me at unexpected," said Ransome, rising to shake Drew's hand. "When do we leave?" he asked.

"As soon as the rest of the team gets here."

* * *

Thor turned in his saddle to gaze one last time at the retreating form of Icegarden. He vowed to himself that as soon as this adventure was concluded, he would gather the remainder of his people and settle in his home.

"Hey, don't worry, we'll be back before you know it," said Trent, who was riding next to Thor.

"You can't be sure of that," replied Thor.

Trent nodded. "You're right, but it never hurts to stay optimistic."

"So what's our timeline?" asked Thor.

"Well, we'll be at Highcliff in a week or two, and you said Drew will have a ship, so we sail to Isax and somehow steal Stormedge from these Raptorlords," said Bergan.

"That's certainly a detailed plan," said Manfred as they came to a crossroads. One way led East, towards the Stormlands, the other towards Highcliff. "You are most definitely going to need my help."

"But Father, what of the Stormlands?" asked Reinhardt.

"I leave them in your capable hands. Try not to knock down my walls like you did last time I left you in charge," said Manfred.

"Oh, and take Hector with you, we don't have time to escort him back to Brackenholme," said Bergan. Reinhardt nodded. Embracing his father as Hector embraced Drew, Reinhardt pulled away and mounted his horse.

"Don't knock down the walls lie you did last time," teased Manfred as his son and the Baron of Redmire galloped off towards the Stormlands.

* * *

The walls of Highcliff were an impressive sight. The large ramparts surrounding the enormous cliffs that give the city its name. Thor had never seen such a large city in his life. As they passed through the main gate, he felt curious and amazed eyes upon them. Most of the common people had never seen so many therians in one place like this, and they'd just had five, plus the famed Wolf Knight enter their city. They passed row upon row of common folk, each with their mouths agape with awe. Some even bowed to the therians out of respect of their lordly titles.

"Thor, you look like a beat dog. Compose yourself, you are the Duke of Sturmland. Act like it," commanded Bergan. Thor straightened his back and raised his chin, doing his best attempt to act like the lord he was.

As they approached the Harbor, the crowds thinned out before disappearing altogether. They dismounted when they came to the old, rickety tavern closest to the water, along the Harbor's edge. Opening the door, they were met with a cloud of smoke and scents of drunken sweat. In the farthest corner, they could see Drew sitting with Eric Ransome, evidently waiting on their arrival.

"Drew!" called Bergan. Drew rose to greet them.

"Hey, you old bear," he said as he embraced Bergan. Moving to each member of the party, Mikotaj, Manfred, Trent, and Maddox, he did the same, until only Thor was left. He didn't even glance the young Bearlord's way, an action that did not go unnoticed by the rest of them, and moved back to his original seat next to Ransome.

"Dukes Bergan, Manfred," said Eric as he tipped his hat to the two of them. 'And young Duke Thor."

"It's been some time, hasn't it Ransome?" asked Manfred.

"Indeed sir, the end of the war if I recall," answered the old pirate captain. "Drew here tells me the seven of you need a ship?"

Bergan nodded affirmative. "Unfortunately, yes. The mission we are currently on may collectively be our last, one way or another."

Ransome twirled his moustache between his fingertips as he seemed to think. "Well, you're in luck. I've just restocked the provisions on board the Maelstrom, and haven't picked up any new cargo, so I'd say I'm in," he declared.

"When do we depart?" asked Thor.

"Whenever you're ready, my lord," replied Ransome.

* * *

"You know I hate surprises, right Ransome?" explained Drew.

"Oh, I'm confident you'll enjoy this one," said Ransome with a wry grin that brightened his eyes. The group had left the tavern and were currently making their way towards the docks. Ransome turned on to one of the long piers that had many small fishing vessels and dingys moored along its length. At the end, waiting for them, was an old man Drew never thought he'd see again. The old Ternlord Florimo was sitting on a rotting chest and singing a sea shanty to the surrounding fishermen. When he spotted the approaching group, he jumped up and bolted over to them, immediately embracing Drew.

"Alright, alright, it's good to see you too, Florimo," relented Drew, lightly returning the embrace.

As the old Ternlord released the Wolf, he bowed. "It seems I am once again at your service, my lord Drew Ferran."

"Indeed, though I am no lord," came the reply.

Ransome cleared his throat. "As touching as this is, I have a few others for you all to meet. If you would, please," he said, motioning towards the moored dingy.

The group filed in, sitting in several rows of two, taking up rowing positions, with Ransome near the stern, operating the tiller, and Florimo at the bow, in his lookout position, Drew seated next to him.

As they set off, Thor finally got to relax and take in the scenery around him. The choppy ocean waves, the light sea breeze, the smell of salt in the air. He found it oddly soothing. As his eyes scanned the horizon, he spotted the Maelstrom. _She's magnificent,_ he thought to himself. Her new sails were emblazoned with the new crest of the human government: a red castle with two spears crossing behind it. The Maelstrom no longer looked like a pirate ship, but a proper fleet command ship.

When they reached her hull, they tied the boat off and began the climb up the ladder on the side. Thor reached the top last, and was greeted by the others as well as several dozen sailors scurrying around the deck, trying to prepare for the upcoming voyage. Some making sure the cannons were in proper order, others tightening the sails, and a group of several began to turn the massive wheel that hauled up the anchor towards the bow.

"My lords, this way, if you'd please," called Ransome as he descended towards the ship's quarters. There were two pairs of guest rooms, as well as the captain's quarters in the short hallway. Ransome lead them into the captain's quarters before closing the heavy oak door behind them. Thor took this opportunity to survey the room. The wooden walls were covered in maps and star charts, no doubt Florimo's work, and there was a large desk at one end. At the opposite end was a small lounge area, and Thor could see two figures, deep in conversation, who had their backs towards them.

At a throat clearing from Ransome, the two ceased and stood to face them. Every mouth in the room dropped except for Maddox and Ransome's. Standing in front of them was the young Hawklord, Casper, and his father, Count Vega, the Sharklord.

* * *

"What the shit?" demanded Drew. "You were alive this whole time and you neglected to tell anyone? You just disappear into thin air with your kid and woman?"

Vega gave a toothy grin and held his hands up apologetically. "I'm sorry, but Shah was adamant that no one knew about my condition in the event that Djogo caught up with us and try to murder me for a second time," he said.

"You dumb fish," said Bergan with a wry smile. The old Bear moved to embrace the Sharklord, and Drew did the same, followed by Manfred.

"So, what? You've been secretly captaining the Maelstrom from behind the scenes?" asked Drew.

Vega shook his head. "I gave Ransome full autonomy. I'm just along for the ride," he grinned.

"Well it's damn good to have you back," said the Wolflord.

"And it's good to see you, Drew. All of you," said Vega as he scanned the room. His eyes settled on Thor and Maddox, though, as he didn't recognize them. "And who are these two?"

"This is Thorbjorn Henriksson, and that's Maddox," informed Bergan.

"Henriksson as in Duke Henrik?" pried the Sharklord.

Thor nodded. "It's an honor to meet you, Count Vega. I've heard a lot about you," he said.

Vega beamed. "It's nice to hear I'm still famous when I'm dead!" His gaze shifted to Maddox. "And who are you, Maddox?"

"I am the son of King Katsubuzz, and one of the shinobee of Acowood...bzzt."

Vega whipped around to stare wide-eyed at Bergan. "So the legends are true?" he asked incredulously.

"I'm afraid so," replied the old bear. "We'll have to fill you in on the details of the predicament we are currently in, but it's not looking too good for us at the moment."

Vega's face burst into a wide smile then a large fit of laughter. "I'd forgotten how morbid and serious you lot were! But fear not, Casper and I will change our fortunes."

The others' heads all snapped to Casper. "I'd nearly forgotten you were here Casper," said Drew as he shook the young Hawklord's hand. "And you're much bigger than last I saw you."

Casper bowed his head. "Aye sire, you've grown as well, it seems."

Drew chuckled. "Casper, I'm not a king, you don't call me sire."

"You'll always be my king, sire," said the boy proudly. "The entire country owes you their lives. They would all agree with me. So would every person in this room."

Drew glanced around the room, looking each of his companions in the eye, before turning back to Casper and Vega. "Never mind all that, we have more pressing matters."

They spent the better part of an hour to cover all the details of what they were facing. Beginning with the Wyld Wolves in the cave, to Acowood and the Werebees, to Icegarden and the trials, finally landing on Isax and the Dinolords.

Vega shifted in his seat when they finished their story. "So basically, we're sailing into uncharted waters to find a continent that may or may not exist that we do not have a map of its geography, all to steal a magical axe from evil dragon-worshipping dinosaurs?" he asked.

"That's the gist of it," replied Drew.

"In that case, our best course would be to hold due West until we spot land or are turned off course by the weather," stated Ransome, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"I agree," nodded Vega. He clapped his hands together as he rose from his seat. "This is wonderful. I haven't been in any real danger since the war, and the Shark is getting very thirsty," he said with an evil grin.

"If half the things we've heard about these Dinolords are true, the Shark may have his fill and more of blood," stated Bergan. "Unfortunately, I don't think this old Bear will be able to keep up."

The others all burst out laughing. "You're so full of it, old man. That bear inside you has plenty of strength left, I've seen it," said Trent.

Bergan allowed a small smile in return. "In any case, it's getting late, and we should all get as much rest as possible, we don't know how long this voyage could last, or what we could run into along the way."

* * *

 _Damn that old man,_ thought Thor. He was currently huddled in his room, covered with every single piece of spare clothing he could find, trying to keep warm. A week after they had sailed from port, the biggest storm Thor had ever seen had headed them off, coming from the West, from Isax. This was now the third day of the storm and there were no signs of it letting up in the next day at least. Torrential waves and monsoon level rain had been tormenting non-stop. There was seawater constantly flooding the deck, and the men were frantically bailing the freezing sea water out as fast as they could with what men weren't manning the sails. As soon as water had begun flowing into his room from underneath his door, Thor decided to be useful. He unwrapped himself, but threw on a thick cloak, pulled the hood up, and headed down the hall and up the stairs that led to the deck.

Thor was immediately slapped in the face with the coldest water he'd ever felt in his entire life. Looking around, it was utter chaos. Lightning and thunder striking overhead, the torrential rain, the massive waves crashing over the side, and the crew scrambling around the deck, all in varying stages of panic and fear. Evidently, most of them had never been in a storm this bad, either. Thor spotted Ransome barking orders from near the mast, trying to keep them alive and orderly at the same time. "What can I do to help?" yelled Thor over the sounds of water as he approached.

"We need more bailing! We're taking on water too fast!"

Thor had an idea. "I'm on it," Thor yelled back. Turning away, he proceeded below decks, and started searching around the supply barrels. When he came to an empty one, he picked it up and started proceeding down to the cargo hold, which was where most of the water was gathering, as it flowed down the ship, level by level. As he approached the water, Thor began letting the White Bear in for the first time since his fight with Ragnar. Sprouting his pristine white fur, hands turning to enormous paws, shoulders thickening and widening, and muscles growing exponentially, Thor now had the strength of the Bear at his disposal. He took the empty barrel he was carrying and proceeded to fill it to the brim with water. Climbing the steps to the deck, he dumped the water out into the ocean before about facing to repeat the process. Some time later, Bergan emerged from the guest's quarters and noticed what Thor was doing. He let the Bear in himself, and the two worked in tandem, dismissing the rest of the bailing crew to their usual jobs, as they could complete this task much faster without them getting in the way. Thor was grateful yet again for the Bear within him. Namely, though, the thick white fur, and layer of blubber beneath, as it protected him from the frigid waters that were constantly battering him.

Just as Thor was about to empty his seventh barrel, the entire ship suddenly ground to a halt as if they'd been beached, or stuck on a reef. Looking around, he saw many of the crew looking into the water, trying to discern what they'd hit, but the dark grey clouds overhead, combined with the rain and waves, made it nearly impossible to see anything at all in the water.

"What is it?" he heard Bergan yell at him.

"I don't know, maybe a reef of some kind!" Thor replied.

As soon as Thor had finished that sentence, the Maelstrom shuddered again, causing most of the crew to lose their balance and fall to the deck.

"Last I checked, reefs don't hit you back!" yelled Bergan over the still torrential rain.

As if on queue, a massive shape rose out of the ocean. Waist deep, it showed off an impressive muscular chest, but its arms had no muscle. Instead, Thor saw that they were massive flippers, at least eight feet long by four feet wide. Gallons upon gallons of water were flowing off them, and splashing on top of the crew as they stared up at this enormous being. Allowing his eyes to travel further up, Thor's mouth dropped open at the sight before him. The creature's jaws were massive. Resembling a crocodile's snout, it was long, at least eight feet, and scaly, like the rest of its body. Thor figured he could comfortably lay flat in its mouth, its jaws were so big. The teeth accompanying said jaws were equally terrifying, maybe a foot long each, and there were at least a hundred of them. Further up, the creature had two huge, beady black eyes, staring down at the Maelstrom as if it were the creature's next meal, which it most likely was.

 _We're all going to die,_ mused Thor as he pulled his double-bladed battleaxe from his belt. As little good as it was likely to do, Thor still felt comfortable with it in his hand.

"What in the HELL is that thing?" shouted Trent as he emerged from belowdecks, followed by Drew and Mikotaj.

Hearing the buzz of wingbeats, Thor looked up to see Maddox flying down from the crow's nest. "I'm not sure, but it is at least forty-five feet tall...bzzt."

The other balked. This creature was undoubtedly the largest being they'd ever seen in their entire lives, including the Behemoth and Ragnar Odinsson. Thor was suddenly overcome with the urge to run, though he quickly dismissed the notion, as there was nowhere to run to.

They ceased their conversation when the enormous creature roared and smacked one flipper against the hull of the Maelstrom, causing immediate damage and water intake.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to my ship Ransome?" yelled an angry voice emerging from belowdecks. "Seriously, I leave to take one nap and…"

Count Vega was cut off by the sight before him. Wiping the look of surprised horror, he immediately let the Shark in. His pale skin turned a dull grey, and his body began to thicken. A set of gills appeared on either side or his neck as his face elongated and turned into a point, with a large mouth filled with several rows of razor sharp teeth. A tail sprouted from his behind, and filled out to have fins on the top and bottom as a triangular dorsal fin sprouted itself from his back. Shedding his shirt, the now fully transformed Sharklord Vega sprinted towards the starboard side of the ship and dove off the edge, laughing on the way down towards the water.

"Finally, some fresh blood!" hollered Vega as he disappeared beneath the waves.

That left the rest of the fully transformed therians on the deck of the ship, trying to work out how to defend against such an enemy.

"Call it Drew," said Bergan.

Drew turned to face his Merry Band of companions. "Alright, Maddox, find Casper and attack that thing's head, try and distract him from further damaging the ship. Trent, you and Thor take the stern, Bergan, you and Manfred take the bow. If that thing's flippers touch the ship again I want it to be the last thing it ever touches. Mikotaj, you and I are going to help Vega. We'll climb its body and try to find a weak spot. Its bound to have one."

Thor nodded to Trent, and the pair hurried to the rear of the Maelstrom, near the captain's wheel, and watched the chaos that unfolded while waiting for an opportunity to hurt the creature. They saw Bergan and Manfred essentially mimicking their actions, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Maddox, in full Shinobee form, along with Casper, now in full hawk form, were distracting the creature by using their superior agility to fly around like a pair of birds, too quick for the creature to hit with its flippers. Casper was firing arrows at its eyes while Maddox used his dual katanas to slice at its neck and shoulders.

At one point, the creature reached into the water, as if to scratch his leg, but quickly pulled it out as he roared in pain. On his flipper as he pulled it out, was Count Vega. The Sharklord had his jaws and many rows of teeth clamped onto the creature's flipper, and was using his rapier, now buried to the hilt, as a handhold. The massive beast shook his fin hard enough to fling Vega off of him. The Sharklord flew through the air, colliding with Maddox, and the two splashed into the sea.

"Thor! Heads up!" Trent said from behind him.

Thor looked up and saw one of the creature's massive grey flippers descending towards him. He dove out of the way as it smashed the wooden planks next to him, shattering that portion of the deck.

"Now Trent!" Thor exclaimed. Hefting his battleaxe, Thor brought it down onto the creature's fin at the same time as Trent's sword. With a wet crunching sound, a section about three feet long detached from the creature, the severed ends spurting dark red blood onto the deck of the Maelstrom. The creature reeled back in agony, clutching his severed flipper with the other. What he did next, however, none of them expected. The monster took his enormous jaws and clamped them down on the mast, ripping it clean off. Using the detached mast as a weapon, he began beating the Maelstrom with it. With every strike, the polished wood of the deck shattered and more and more water rushed in. Thor slowly came to the realization that they weren't going to be sailing to Isax, they were going to have to swim. That was when Thor saw Drew and Mikotaj finally. They were on the creature's right shoulder, on the side of the severed flipper, and were hacking at its neck with Moonbrand and Mikotaj's massive spear. As if he was swatting a fly, the creature simply smacked the two of them into the sea after he'd impaled the Maelstrom with its own mast. With the Maelstrom rapidly sinking, Thor figured weapons would be no more use, so he sheathed his battleaxe and began loading one of the lifeboats.

"Trent! Get in!" he yelled. The two of them began paddling towards the creature, silently praying to Brenn that they wouldn't be noticed, as the creature was once again busy with Maddox and Casper, who had both rejoined the fight, going to work with their bow and dual katanas. Somehow, though, the enormous sea monster noticed them, and at the same time he smacked Maddox with his fin, he raised one leg out of the water and kicked their small lifeboat, sending Thor and Trent flying. The last thing Thor saw before he blacked out was the mast of the Maelstrom rapidly approaching his face.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Thor...bzzt! Thor, wake up...bzzt!"

As Thor slowly regained consciousness, he became aware of the splitting pain in his skull. He had a massive headache, likely from trying to fight that mast with his face. Opening his eyes very carefully, the sunlight that hit them made his headache even worse, but he pushed through and saw Maddox' brown hair and honey colored face looking down at him.

"Good...bzzt. Thought I'd lost you...bzzt."

"I wish you had, then I wouldn't have this splitting headache," Thor groaned as he sat up. "Where are we?"

Studying his surroundings, Thor saw nothing but sand and small waves lapping at the shoreline. _At least we're off that damned boat,_ he thought.

"I'm not sure...bzzt. The last thing I remember is being backhanded into the sea by that...thing...bzzt. I woke up on the beach about a hundred yards down and I just now found you...bzzt," came the reply.

"Any sign of the others?" asked Thor.

Maddox shook his head. "I haven't even seen any tracks that would indicate they were here...bzzt. Looks like we're on our own for now...bzzt. I'm sure they're all fine, though...bzzt."

Thor nodded. If it were any other group of people, he'd be less certain. But these idiots refused to die, no matter what the circumstances. Bergan had several tons of rock bury him alive, and he somehow lived. Trent went half mad when he got bit by one of the Wyld Wolves, yet he was still here. Vega'd been shanked half a dozen times by a jealous ex-slaver and he'd lived. Manfred had been stabbed in the streets of Highcliff, then fought in a siege shortly after, yet his hooves still worked. Mikotaj was just a machine of death, no one who'd been crazy enough to try and kill him had lived, much less put him in any danger. And Drew had chewed his own hand off, been sold into slavery, fought the Beast of Bast in single combat, and had survived half a dozen other things that would kill any other ordinary therian, and he'd somehow prevailed through them all. So if it was any group of companions that could survive an attack from a creature like that, it was definitely the Merry Band.

"Well, no sense sitting around here, we should probably look for food and a freshwater source before we die of dehydration," Thor said as he stood.

* * *

"You think the rest of the lads are alright, Manfred?" asked Bergan.

"They're all too stubborn to die. They all probably washed ashore in different spots."

"If I were the two of you, I wouldn't worry about everyone else. You two would've drowned if I hadn't dragged you both to shore," said Vega with a snort.

"Thanks for that, by the way. Oh, and sorry about the Maelstrom," said Bergan apologetically.

Vega waved a hand. "She was getting old and rickety anyways. I was just too sentimental to part with her. That massive beast did me a favor."

"In any case, we are suddenly without a way home," stated Manfred.

"'Oh, look, I'm Manfred, stag of the Stormlands, I'm incredibly good at stating the painfully obvious,'" retorted Vega in a sarcastic tone.

"Watch it, fish," replied the old Staglord.

"Gentlemen, calm yourselves, we need to focus on finding the others," pleaded Bergan.

Vega placed a hand on his chin and seemed to think before speaking. "Well, either we are on a large continent, or a small island, and if it is the latter, then I very seriously doubt our chances of finding any of the others on the same island."

"Say it's the former, what then?" asked the old Bear.

"Well, in that case, we'd all be spread out in unknown territory with no way of contacting one another. We'd need local help, assuming there is intelligent life here," Vega replied.

* * *

"What, your father never taught you how to make a tent?" asked Drew incredulously.

Mikotaj shook his head. "I never use a tent when I hunt, I simply sleep on the bare ground."

"Well, I don't have time to teach you, we need to cover Trent as fast as possible. I'm worried that the warmth from the sun may make his fever worse."

The two worked as a team, Mikotaj cutting large sections and small strips out of one of the Maelstrom's sails that had washed ashore near them. They fashioned a small, triangular tent that was really only a simple sunshade. They piled some of the nearby palm leaves and wood over it to provide some extra protection from the harsh midday sun.

"Where do you suppose the others are?" asked Mikotaj.

Drew shook his head. "I don't even begin to have a guess, but with any luck, they washed ashore on the same land mass as us."

"Do you think this is Isax?"

"If it is, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing," said Drew.

"Why would it be a bad thing?" inquired Mikotaj.

Drew raised his head, eyebrows furrowed with worry. "Because we don't have a clue who to trust."

* * *

At the low buzzing sounds of wing beats, Thor stepped out of the small cave that he and Maddox had found. Maddox had flown off to scout around for the others about two hours ago, and was just now returning. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he released the Bee, wings receding into his back.

"Anything?" asked Thor.

Maddox shook his head solemnly. "Nothing...bzzt. Two hours of flying, and nothing...bzzt."

"What did you see then?" the White Bear asked.

"Well, either this is the biggest island I've ever seen, or we've miraculously beached on Isax, because this land mass seems to extend beyond my eye sight...bzzt."

"Fantastic," Thor muttered sarcastically. "Stranded on an uncharted continent, separated from the others, what could be worse?"

Thor turned to go back inside the cave, but was halted at the sight of a dozen arrows pointed at his chest.

* * *

Drew pulled his head out of the water, letting the stray droplets flow down his face and neck. They had found a small stream that emptied into the ocean, and used it as a freshwater source while they waited for Trent to regain consciousness. Drew was suddenly reminded of his time alone in the Dyrewood, after Vanmorten had murdered his mother, and his father had run him through with the wolfshead blade. The calm of the surrounding jungle brought back the memories of hunting alone, surviving in the wild. Life had seemed so simple back then, until he'd met Lady Whitley, and his life had changed forever.

At the mere thought of Whitley, a torrent of emotions crashed into Drew, reminding him of everything his heritage had cost him. He'd never get to watch his children run around the base of the Great Trees in Brackenholme, Whitley wrapped in his arms. He'd never feel her warm touch, or see her radiant smile ever again.

Mikotaj's voice woke him from his trance. "Drew, he's awake."

Drew followed Mikotaj back to the makeshift campsite they had made to see Trent sitting up in the small tent. "Hey, glad to see you're awake. What do you remember?"

Trent put a hand on his forehead, massaging it with his fingers. "I just remember that big fish monster, and the Maelstrom sinking. I must've hit my head before i fell in the water."

"We assume we're on Isax, but we can't be sure. Once you've regained your strength, I was thinking we could follow that stream and see what we see," said Mikotaj.

Trent nodded, lazily rubbing his eyes. "We got anything to eat first?"

Drew shook his head, clearly upset about that fact as well. "We might have to do a little fishing if we don't find some game by tonight."

Trent rose from his seated position and stretched, trying to soothe his aching muscles before an afternoon of travelling. He made his was to the stream and splashed the cool water on his face, instantly becoming more alert. Mikotaj had fashioned a few makeshift waterskins from remnants of the sail and some leather. The three of them filled one each, and gathered what they might find useful before setting off along the bank of the stream.

As they walked, Drew took notice of the sounds around them. The birds here sounded nothing like the ones from the Dyrewood, and the air was heavy with moisture, the humidity almost creating an extra layer on his skin as it clung to him, soaking his clothing. Even the trees were unfamiliar. These were a lighter green, grew much taller, and had thousands of vines hanging from them. They reminded Drew of his brief time on Bast, and the jungles he'd seen there, though the trees were not nearly as tall or thick around.

The disturbing part about all of it, was that he hadn't seen a single animal around. He could hear them, as if they were simply watching the three of them from the shadows, but he had yet to even spot a single bird. The eerie silence was making Drew uncomfortable.

Drew was lost so deep in thought that he didn't notice that all the sounds of the animals had disappeared. Mikotaj, who was in the lead, held up a single fist, the universal signal for stop. "Do you two hear that?"

"What?" asked Trent, looking around suspiciously.

"Nothing," said Drew and MIkotaj simultaneously.

The two therians decided to let the wolf in, to see if they could smell anything around them. What they smelled immediately alarmed Mikotaj. "Follow me. Run!" he practically yelled as he took off again, still following the stream.

Not a moment too soon, either, as the spot where they'd just been standing became riddled with arrows. It was evident that whoever was attacking them was not friendly. Drew and Mikotaj began changing mid-run as arrows flew over their heads from unseen attackers. Crashing through the foliage, they came to a clearing with a small pond that the stream seemed to originate from. As if on queue, all at once, hundreds of men emerged from the treeline, completely surrounding the three of them.

"They led us into a trap," Drew realized, drawing Moonbrand.

Mikotaj only grunted as he hefted his spear and Trent drew his sword. Their adversaries had many bows trained on them, but a trio split from them and approached the three Lyssians. As they drew closer, Drew took the time to study them. Their body armour was made of a series of silver scales that overlapped one another, with leather trim, clearly designed to be a lightweight, yet effective armor. Their skin, however, was as red as a blood moon. A shade of deep crimson that accentuated their features to seem warlike and fierce. Their sharp jawlines and hard expressions seemed to allude to each individual's experience in battle.

The three strangers stopped about ten yards from the Lyssians. The man in the middle, who was a few inches taller than the rest, stepped forward. "My name is Lord Razor the fifth, and the three of you are my prisoners."

* * *

"Will this jungle never end?" complained Vega. "I was made for seas of water, not seas of endless trees."

He'd just finished his sentence when Bergan held up a fist, calling for the group to halt. "What is it?" asked Manfred.

"I've found some of our missing lads," whispered Bergan. Peeking through the foliage in front of them, the three Werelords spotted Drew, Mikotaj, and Trent being placed in chains by several hundred red-skinned men.

"Where are Thor and Maddox?" whispered Vega, looking up at Bergan, who shook his head.

"I don't know."

"I suppose that is a good thing, but we should find them before these red men do."

The Old Bear nodded his assent. The three therians slowly backed away from the clearing before taking a ninety degree turn to skirt around the edges of the clearing as to avoid discovery.

* * *

Thor slowly raised his hands in surrender. "We don't want any trouble. Our ship was destroyed during the night, we are stranded here."

The men holding the bows glanced at eachother before a few of them parted to allow a large man to step through. His gray skin matched the rest of the men, and their dark blue armor accentuated them. Their bows looked to be made out of pure ivory, as they were glossy and strong. The broadheads looked menacing and jagged. Thor mused that that'd be extremely painful to remove were you struck by one of them.

Next to Thor, Maddox still had his hands up as the large man approached. He and all of his men were bald as well. Upon first glance, Thor thought their gray skin to be painted, but with further inspection, he realized it was their natural skin. And when Thor said the man was large, he meant large. He was a hulking brute, rippling with muscle, over ten feet tall, and had a scar running diagonally across his face. All the rest of his men were at least ten feet tall as well.

The man halted in front of the two therians and gazed down at them with fierce, battle-hardened eyes before he spoke in a deep, booming, gravelly voice. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"We're therians from Lyssia to the East. Our ship was destroyed by something during the night, and we are stranded here, wherever here is," Thor explained.

"Here is Isax. I am Durex, Lord of the Bone Hills. What are therians?" the enormous gray man asked.

Thor glanced at Maddox. "Uh, well, therians are lords who can transform into a beast. For example, I can transform into a white bear, and my friend here, his name is Maddox, can transform into a giant bee."

Durex flashed realization across his eyes. "You mean skinchangers?"

Thor nodded. "In simpler terms, yes."

Durex grinned, revealing filed teeth, just like the Wyldermen. "My people know of this, for we have this gift as well."

Without warning, a guttural growl began in Durex' throat as he began to shift. His gray skin sprouted scales of the same color, and he began growing a tail. His arms shrunk as his legs and face elongated. All the while, he was growing taller. His feet shifted into three toes instead of five, and his hands melded together to form two long fingers with claws on the end. His body was absolutely rippling with muscle and revealed dozens of scars across his back and ribs. Finally, his skull transformation complete, he stared down at them for a few seconds and roared. Thor had never heard such a terrifying sound in his entire life. The roar split his eardrums and left him with a ringing that took several seconds to fade. Durex' mouth had been replaced by a massive, gaping maw that looked like it could rip Thor apart in seconds.

After shaking his head, Thor looked back up at the now fully formed therian. "My name is Durex, lord of the Bone Hills, and my people skinchange into the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex."


End file.
